On National Pizza Day, Casey’s General Stores Inc. has put a face to its pizza and beer offerings. The retailer said it has selected Joe Cruz from Lincoln, Nebraska, as its first “Chief Pizza and Beer Officer.” The convenience-store chain selected Cruz from out of more than 500 candidates.
Cruz loves to eat Casey’s pizza and drink beer, making him uniquely qualified to take on this job, the company said. He will be the “utmost authority” on sampling, researching and pairing Casey’s pizzas with the best beer combinations. He also will be responsible for creating social media content to inform Casey’s Country about these pairings and attending public events to spread their passion for pizza and beer.
“As the Official Pizza and Beer Headquarters, it was extremely important for Casey’s to add the position of chief pizza and beer officer,” said Tom Brennan, chief merchandising officer at Ankeny, Iowa-based Casey’s. “Eating pizza and sampling beer is more challenging than it sounds, especially when you have the pizza and beer pairing curiosity and enjoyment of Casey’s Country resting on your shoulders. We’re confident that Joe is the right person for the job, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the Casey’s family.”
“Eating pizza and sampling beer is more challenging than it sounds.”
Casey’s operates more than 2,600 c-stores in 17 greater Midwestern states and Texas. It is the third-largest convenience store retailer, the fourth-largest holder of liquor licenses and the fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States.
- Casey's General Stores Inc. is No. 3 on CSP's 2023 Top 202 ranking of convenience-store chains by store count.
Casey’s consulted with former NFL defensive tackle and well-known content creator Anthony “Spice” Adams to review the pool of candidates against the job requirements to identify the ideal pizza and beer connoisseur. They assessed applicants based on their passion, communication skills and leadership traits. Cruz brings all this and more to the position, the company said.
“As a proud resident of ‘Casey’s Country’ and a self-proclaimed pizza and beer aficionado, I’m honored to be the first person to take on this coveted role,” said Cruz. “We all have thoughts about our dream job, and when I saw Casey’s was looking for a Chief Pizza & Beer Officer, I knew I had found the best job ever. I’m ready to get to work bringing the most delicious pizza and beer combinations to Casey’s guests.”
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