Brooklyn Dumpling Shop Appoints CEO to Drive Accelerated Expansion Following Recent Funding Round

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop’s strategic leadership appointment of Jeff Galletly as CEO will fuel continued growth in franchise & retail expansion, bolstered by recent funding led by Kevin O’Leary and Matt Higgins

NEW YORK, May 9, 2024 – Brooklyn Dumpling Parent Holdings, Inc., (the “Company” or “Brooklyn Dumpling Shop”) is pleased to announce Jeff Galletly as the Company’s CEO. The 100% digital fast-casual restaurant chain that opened in 2021 welcomes Jeff from Restaurant Brands International Inc. (“RBI”), where he most recently served as Vice President and General Manager of Tim Hortons USA. Jeff brings a wealth of expertise spanning restaurant operations, franchising, marketing and consumer products to propel Brooklyn Dumpling Shop into its next phase of growth and innovation. In addition to his role as CEO, Jeff will also serve on the Board of Directors of the company.

Galletly’s appointment as CEO marks an exciting chapter for Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, which recently closed a funding round that includes well-known investors such as Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary and fellow Guest Shark and prolific food investor Matt Higgins. The investment aims to scale the business through franchise restaurant growth, consumer product expansion, team building, accelerated marketing efforts, and adjacent acquisitions.

In his role as CEO, Jeff will steward all aspects of the Brooklyn Dumpling Shop business, overseeing operations in current locations across North America, while focusing on business growth, franchise expansion, culinary and technology innovation and winning with consumers every day. He will also enhance comprehensive support, training, and operational resources to existing franchisees in the United States & Canada, in addition to leading further domestic and international franchise expansion. Brooklyn Dumpling Shop’s omni-channel strategy includes broadening the brand’s consumer product footprint, presently spanning e-commerce and in retailers including Walmart, Shoprite, and Stew Leonards, amongst others.

“We are experiencing an evolution in dining as consumers seek fresh, fast-casual experiences and innovative concepts that combine great food, digital convenience, and hospitality,” Galletly said. “Brooklyn Dumpling Shop has been at the forefront of this evolution and I am honored to join the team and provide ongoing support for our franchisees to grow our brand, craft memorable guest experiences, and solidify our position as leaders in taste, innovation, and technology.”

Galletly has held a number of leadership positions in restaurant franchising & operations, development, marketing, strategy, and private equity. Jeff’s contributions to the food service industry include expanding Tim Horton’s Asia-Pacific locations and having led Operations and Marketing Intelligence for Burger King North America.

“With his extensive record of visionary leadership and dedication to operational excellence, Jeff is well equipped to lead the company into its next phase of growth,” shared strategic investor Kevin O’Leary, Chairman of O’leary Ventures.

Matt Higgins, CEO of private investment firm RSE Ventures, added, “As a new investor in Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, I’m thrilled to see Jeff come on board as CEO. He’s well known in the industry as someone who leads from the front, builds great teams, and tackles the hard work of scaling franchises domestically and abroad.”

Of Jeff’s hire, Robert Cummins, founding partner of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, music executive and restaurateur, shared, “We’re thrilled to hand the keys of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop to such a proven industry force. Jeff’s extensive leadership with legacy brands will drive our company into our new era and beyond.”

Believing “everything’s better in a dumpling,” Brooklyn Dumpling Shop offers distinct dumplings, burgers, bowls and more, combining bold and craveable flavors. The diverse array of offerings, unique only to Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, includes specialty dumplings such as Korean BBQ, Mac & Cheese, and Smashed Apple Pie.

In February of this year, the business became international with its first shop in Calgary opening as part of a 100 unit Canadian master franchise deal. Currently, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop boasts 11 locations in major cities including New York, Dallas, Austin, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Calgary — with a number of additional locations slated to open in 2024, including new markets Miami and Vancouver. The company will also continue expanding its consumer product business with select retail partners.

Today, May 9th, the company is celebrating the grand opening of its second corporate location on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The grand opening will feature a charitable donation from the company to nearby Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s (MSK) Cycle For Survival. 100% of proceeds will go directly to MSK for rare cancer research.

For more information about Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, please visit brooklyndumplingshop.com.

About Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
Having opened its first location in May 2021, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop blends the best of craveworthy dishes and fine-dining techniques into unrivaled dumplings, bowls and more—while ushering in a new era of fast-casual dining through a technology-forward experience and 100% digital ordering. Offering high-quality, innovative fan favorite dumplings such as Korean BBQ, Mac & Cheese and Smashed Apple Pie, signature creamy peanut sauce and exclusive smashed burgers, every bite provides craveable taste and value for hungry guests seeking distinct, crave-worthy experiences.

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop currently has 11 locations operating across the US & Canada, including the company-owned flagship location in Manhattan’s East Village and the newly renovated Upper East Side location, celebrating its grand opening today, May 9.

Everything’s better in a dumpling!

About Jeff Galletly
Jeff Galletly is the CEO of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, the 100% digital restaurant that’s redefining the fast casual space with a digital-forward experience and distinct innovative dumplings, bowls & more. Jeff’s extensive background in restaurant operations & franchising, development, marketing, strategy, and private equity has been honed through various roles at Restaurant Brands International (RBI), where he most recently was Vice President & General Manager of Tim Hortons USA. Previously, Jeff was Vice President & General Manager of Tim Hortons Asia-Pacific, Head of Operations for RBI Asia-Pacific, Head of Operations for Burger King North America and Head of Marketing Intelligence and other successive marketing roles for Burger King North America.

Prior to RBI, Jeff was an investor at private equity funds Wingate Partners and VMG Partners, as well as marketing & strategy roles at PepsiCo. He began his career at McKinsey & Company.

Jeff holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and BA from Colgate University.

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop Media Contact:
brooklyndumplingshop@derris.com

For media inquiries related to Kevin O’Leary, contact Nancy Cheung:
ncheung@olearyventures.com

SOURCE Brooklyn Dumpling Shop