The Promotions
Kilwins, the Petoskey, Mich.-based confectionery franchise with nearly 200 locations nationwide, has elevated two veteran operations leaders to chief operating officer. Brad Williams takes the COO title for the franchise system itself, while Joe Audia steps up as COO of Kilwins Quality Confections, the brand's internal supply company that stocks every retail location with product and day-to-day supplies.
Williams joined Kilwins in May 2025 as vice president of operations and training, bringing more than 30 years of franchise leadership across brands including Taco Bell, Wingstop, The Krystal Company, and most recently Checkers & Rally's, where he oversaw operations at 580 franchise units. Audia arrives at the COO seat after 19 years inside the Kilwins system, having managed customer service, warehouse and distribution, purchasing, and manufacturing for Quality Confections. Before Kilwins, he spent 24 years in the automotive industry in tooling engineering and operations management, and holds degrees in physics and mechanical engineering plus an MBA.
Why It Matters
The dual appointment reflects a structural reality that separates confectionery franchise operators from most foodservice concepts: the franchisor controls its own manufacturing and distribution backbone. Kilwins Quality Confections is not a third-party co-packer — it is the proprietary supply engine that determines whether franchisees can deliver the hand-crafted chocolates, Original Recipe Ice Cream, fudge, and caramel apples that define the in-store experience. Putting a seasoned supply-chain executive in the COO seat there, concurrent with a franchise-operations hire at the top, signals that leadership views both levers as equally critical to scaling without diluting quality.
"Brad understands that strong operations begin with strong franchisee relationships and a commitment to the guest experience," said Brian Britton, president and CEO of Kilwins. "Joe has spent nearly two decades making sure our stores have what they need to deliver that experience, and his deep knowledge of our supply chain and manufacturing is invaluable."
Growth Context
Kilwins has ranked No. 1 in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 candy, ice cream, and frozen-desserts category for 10 consecutive years and was named USA TODAY's No. 1 Best Dessert & Treat Chain and Newsweek's No. 1 Best Ice Cream Chain for 2026. With the brand closing in on the 200-unit threshold and actively recruiting franchisees, the leadership restructuring positions both the retail side and the supply side for a heavier opening cadence.
For operators tracking specialty-food and confectionery concepts at retail, the Kilwins model — open-kitchen fudge paddling, copper-kettle caramel, and in-store ice cream production — represents a high-labor, high-theater format that depends heavily on consistent product supply and franchisee training. Williams' background building franchise support systems at large QSR operators translates directly to that challenge at scale. His appointment, paired with Audia's elevation, gives Kilwins an integrated operations-and-supply structure designed to absorb new unit growth without compressing the guest experience the brand has built over nearly eight decades.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
