Brittany Knollmiller has spent the past 15 years navigating the food and beverage industry, gaining firsthand experience in the quick-service restaurant sector with El Pollo Loco. She started as a marketing assistant and worked her way up to senior marketing manager.
In 2020, after eight years with El Pollo Loco, Knollmiller was given the opportunity to join Yogurtland, a leading self-serve frozen yogurt brand with more than 220 locations across the U.S. and internationally.
“I was always a huge fan of the brand, and I was so excited to join their marketing team,” Knollmiller says. “I think we all know what happened in February 2020. It was a defining moment for the industry and myself, but I don’t look for the negatives. I saw a lot of wonderful opportunities to connect with our guests digitally.”
Knollmiller hit the ground running as the brand quickly shifted its business model around her. During her five-year tenure at Yogurtland, she learned how to be nimble, continuously searching for opportunities in an unpredictable landscape.
“I earned the nickname ‘Brit Grit’ because I thrive off of challenges. My leadership style instills resilience in my team because we all know that if it’s possible, we’re going to achieve it,” Knollmiller says. “We’re always looking for ways to push against the status quo … and creativity grows through collaboration, so we must connect with our cross-functional partners and work towards the shared vision of Yogurtland.”
As she worked to revitalize the company’s image and competitive positioning, Knollmiller sought unique ways to redefine the brand and tell its story in a way that resonated with guests.
“The first big shift we made was to bring the brand to life and make it real for our customers,” Knollmiller says. “It made a striking difference. From there, we’ve scaled our e-commerce and our loyalty platforms to better understand who our guests are and what they are after.”
Through purpose-driven marketing, consumer insights, and data analytics, Knollmiller helped refine Yogurtland’s target audience, focusing on millennial moms. This data-driven approach not only informed marketing campaigns but also influenced product development, guiding decisions on limited-time offers and new menu launches.
“We know our guests want more than food. They crave an experience, but their attention span is shrinking, so we have to keep them engaged by throwing innovative ideas at them,” Knollmiller says. “The key is balancing creative ideas, brand storytelling, store consistency, and the right execution of our campaigns.”
In recent months, Knollmiller’s marketing strategies have delivered major wins, including high-profile collaborations with PAC-MAN, GRAMMY Award-winning artist Laufey, and influencer-driven activations such as Back to School, National Dog Day, and the beloved Holiday Giant Spoon Day. These initiatives featured nostalgic flavors, one-day-only menu items, and exclusive branded cups, spoons, and merchandise. She also utilizes both macro- and micro-influencers to amplify Yogurtland’s reach through word-of-mouth marketing.
While the campaigns vary in theme, they all share a common thread—what Knollmiller calls “the natural fandom.” An ongoing partnership with Food Beast has allowed the brand to remain culturally relevant, take advantage of viral trends, and play into scarcity with exclusive collaborations.
“Our social content has been a key lever for us to express our brand voice at Yogurtland. We aim to be engaging, fun, and always authentic – while staying rooted in love, hope, and joy,” Knollmiller adds. “Partnering with Food Beast has allowed us to push creative boundaries. It’s been fun blending their unique and dynamic storytelling with our digital team’s vision to create content that connects with our guests.”
The pandemic also opened the door for Yogurtland to expand its e-commerce and catering platforms, which Knollmiller took over in 2023. She focused on strengthening partnerships with third-party delivery services while prioritizing a direct ordering channel. One of the biggest challenges was shifting guest perceptions.
“When we first started, people thought our yogurt would melt, so they were hesitant. But we doubled down on our third-party delivery and direct channel efforts and proved that is not the case,” Knollmiller says. “We now have more repeat orders than ever before, and this is a growing side of our business. We have a huge runway to capitalize on guests who want to have that cravable moment delivered conveniently to their door.”
Knollmiller continues to experiment with emerging technologies to enhance the guest experience both on- and off-premises, incorporating augmented reality for immersive engagement and AI for operational efficiency. She credits Yogurtland’s culture of innovation to co-founder and head of innovation Michelle Chang, who stays ahead of trends through her international travels—particularly to Korea.
“Innovation is in our DNA. From flavor development to technology, to creating new and exciting moments in our stores, this is at our core,” Knollmiller says. “We are continuing to roll out new partnerships and following what the customer wants. If we do that, then we’ll always be on trend.”
Knollmiller’s advice for women looking to advance their careers in the restaurant industry? Be intentional and purposeful.
“Learn to lean on other people because women raise each other when they don’t feel like they have to take it all on themselves. My entire team is all women, and we have created a culture where everyone thrives. We’re redefining the standards to say, if one of us succeeds, then we all do.”
