Uber Eats' Head of Dark Kitchens Joins C3
Sam Nazarian, the Founder and CEO of C3 (Creating Culinary Communities), has named Pasha Mehran as Chief Strategy Officer. Mehran brings more than a decade of experience to C3's fast growing team where he will oversee joint ventures with celebrity chef-driven restaurants, top digital creators, culinary markets, and ghost kitchen partners, with the goal of expanding C3's footprint across Gen Z and millennial audiences, turning the brand into a household name.
Mehran's drive to join C3 comes at a crucial time as the brand revolutionizes the restaurant hospitality industry with an array of marketing levers at its disposal. Mehran's expertise closely aligns with C3's strategy to create a one-stop-shop for a multitude of cuisines accessible both digitally and through brick-and-mortar locations. Backed by some of the largest real estate investors in the industry, C3 has developed over 800 digital brand locations across the U.S with an expansion pipeline to well over 1,000 while serving 2.3 million meals during the last twelve months.
"Sam Nazarian is a true pioneer in the global lifestyle industry, having built some of the world's most iconic hospitality brands. He has a proven track record for building lifestyle brands that connect with the modern consumer and C3's brands are no exception," said Pasha Mehran. "C3 has capitalized on shifting consumer trends to build premium, quick service restaurants that are not only endorsed by A-list celebrities and Michelin-star chefs, but also by industry giants like TGI Fridays. I am excited to accelerate the growth of C3's brands through a series of opportunistic acquisitions, marquee partnerships, and strategic joint ventures."
Mehran formerly served as Head of Dark Kitchens at Uber Eats where he oversaw national partnerships and spearheaded the Dark Kitchen category, which is projected to be a $1 trillion industry by 2030. Prior to this role, he served as Vice President of Strategy & Business Development for Uproxx Media in addition to leading channel partnerships at Google.
"Following a year of incredible success and growth, I knew that key industry talent, like Pasha, would be instrumental in the coming years at C3," said Sam Nazarian, Founder and CEO of C3. "Pasha's expertise in the industry and overall business savvy are unmatched. I am looking forward to having his insights lead our brand strategy as we gear up for even greater success this year."
Mehran's vision is to leverage his industry experience to build upon C3's existing foundation, by bridging the gap between offline and online food commerce. The food service industry is undergoing a massive transformation and C3's digitally native brands can help partners capitalize on that shift. Mehran intends to further C3's supply chain prowess, cultivate Gen Z and millennial audiences, and expand C3's suburban reach across America.
In the past year, C3 has doubled down on efforts to tap into the ever-powerful Gen Z and millennial audiences through key partnerships with brands such as Graduate Hotels, TGI Fridays, Hooters and an entirely new division and innovation hub to maximize the power of the world's top digital creators, YouTubers and gamers. Through this division, Creator Court, C3 is leveraging talent across partnerships with Sofia Vergara's Latin World Entertainment to bring diverse cuisine to audiences around the world.
Mehran joins C3 effective January 2022, adding to more than 3,500 employees C3 hired across the U.S. in 2021. With more growth in sight, the brand plans to hire another 5,000 employees domestically and internationally with offices in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, London, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.