In 2010, John Konyn joined Mo’ Bettahs Hawaiian Style Food as an hourly employee when it had just two locations. Today, with 55 stores across seven states and positive same-store sales growth for the past 13 years, Konyn has been named Chief Operations Officer.

“John’s ability to adapt, learn, grow, and hone his leadership skills has seen him rise through our growth ladder from team member to now COO,” said Rob Ertmann, CEO of Mo’ Bettahs. “John has a passion for Mo’ Bettahs, a commitment to our culture, and, most importantly, a love for our teams in the restaurants who serve up Aloha to our guests daily. We wouldn’t be where we are today without him, and he is perfectly suited to lead our operations as we continue to grow our national footprint.”

Konyn’s most recent role was Vice President of Operations. With the brand’s explosive growth, he was pivotal in training and developing team members to take on GM, DM, and DO roles. As the COVID pandemic started, he led the charge to keep Mo’ Bettahs SSS positive and continued to open new locations in 2020. With product supply chain challenges and rising costs, he was instrumental in improving food cost performance, which directly increased EBITDA from mid-teens to mid-20%.

“What I love most about working for Mo’ Bettahs is that we are creating opportunities for our team as we grow,” Konyn said. “I was drawn to Mo’ Bettahs because of the team and culture that pushed me to challenge myself and constantly improve. As we grow, we have the opportunity to mentor future leadership of the brand and the industry. We have something special here, and I can’t wait for what’s coming next.”

Founded by Hawaii-born brothers Kimo and Kalani Mack, Mo’ Bettahs has been serving up authentic Hawaiian plate lunch since 2008. In 2017, the fast casual brand was acquired by Savory Fund, an innovative private equity firm that invests in emerging restaurant concepts. Together, they have scaled the award-winning concept across the country.

“John has been such a pivotal player on our team for more than a decade,” said Kimo Mack, co-founder of Mo’ Bettahs. “He willingly takes on any challenges we have with humility and enthusiasm. John has a bright future with us and in the restaurant industry.”

Employee Management, Fast Casual, News, Mo'Bettahs