Cava Appoints John Ludeke as CMO After Dr. Squatch Tenure
Cava has hired former Dr. Squatch brand chief John Ludeke as its new chief marketing officer, effective October 12, 2026.
Cava has appointed John Ludeke as its new chief marketing officer, effective October 12, 2026. The fast-casual chain has been seeking a marketing leader since the August departure of former chief marketing and experience officer Andrew Rebhun, who left to join Panera.
Ludeke’s brand-building background
John Ludeke brings more than 17 years of brand leadership experience to the role. He was most recently the chief brand officer at Dr. Squatch, a men’s personal care brand. During his tenure, which included the brand's acquisition by Unilever, he is credited with helping grow Dr. Squatch from a direct-to-consumer startup to over $500 million in annual revenue. Ludeke led global brand, creative, media, social strategy, public relations, and retail marketing for the company. His career also includes a prior role as senior director of global marketing at Monster Energy.
What Ludeke will focus on at Cava
At Cava, Ludeke will lead the entire marketing organization. His focus will be on brand differentiation, building guest loyalty and engagement, and scaling both digital and in-restaurant customer experiences. This strategic direction comes as Cava continues to expand its national footprint.
Cava’s recent performance and market context
The appointment follows a period of robust growth for the restaurant chain. Cava reported strong financial results for the second quarter of 2026. The company saw a significant year-over-year revenue increase and notable gains in key operational metrics.
| Metric | Q2 2026 Performance |
|---|---|
| Same-restaurant sales growth | 9% |
| Guest traffic growth | 5.3% |
| Total revenue | $365.4 million |
| Year-over-year revenue growth | 31.3% |
Cava generated $1.2 billion in revenue last year. The brand has expanded to approximately 500 locations across the United States.
Marketing strategy contrast and expectations
Ludeke's hiring signals a potential shift in marketing approach. Cava currently spends just over 1% of its revenue on marketing, a figure notably below competitor Chipotle, which expects marketing costs to represent about 3% of sales for the full year. Industry observers expect Ludeke to apply his social-first, creator-driven campaign style from Dr. Squatch to Cava's marketing efforts. This approach would likely move away from traditional fast-casual advertising that relies heavily on promotions and discounts. Co-founder and CEO Brett Schulman leads the company through this next phase of brand development. John Ludeke will lead CAVA’s marketing organization with a focus on brand differentiation, guest loyalty and engagement, digital and restaurant experiences.
