Alice Crowder is the Chief Marketing Officer for Krispy Krunchy Chicken (KKC), one of the fastest growing hot food concepts in the convenience store business. KKC has built a cult-like brand with consumers and grown to over 3,000 retail locations across 47 states. Crowder is a top-performing and results-driven marketing executive with a demonstrated record of achievement throughout her extensive career supporting brands in their growth.
Prior to KKC, Alice Crowder served as Chief Marketing Officer for Krystal Restaurants LLC, the original quick service chain in the South. She initially joined the company in 2014 as the brand’s Vice President of Marketing and headed the function for a four-year period when there was significant growth and expansion. Also during this period, she ran the marketing calendar and oversaw product innovation and promotions, sweepstakes, co-branding partnerships, a cross-QSR collaboration for the Peace Burger Sandwich, and even the brand’s Guinness World Record for World’s Largest Frozen Beverage.
In 2020, Crowder returned to Krystal as Chief Marketing Officer as part of the new leadership team under new ownership. She led the brand’s first menu optimization and architecture process and instituted tiered pricing based on econometric modeling that went down to restaurant-level. She also led initiatives to drive relevance and preference for the brand and its famous square burgers.
Between her stints at Krystal, Crowder extended her experience and leadership to healthy food QSR Tropical Smoothie Cafe, where she headed menu strategy and innovation for the industry leader.
Crowder’s food & beverage expertise also includes multiple years with Denny’s as their Sr. Director of New Product Marketing, and various senior leadership roles with Ovation Brands – the former parent company of buffet restaurant concepts such as Ryan’s Buffet and Hometown Buffet. She transitioned to restaurant marketing after ten years of experience in packaged goods brand management with Royal Dutch Shell.
Alice Crowder obtained an MBA from the Wilbur O. and Anne Powers College of Business at Clemson University and an A.B., English from Duke University.
