Kilwins Promotes Brad Williams to Chief Operating Officer
The candy and confection chain also elevated Joe Audia to chief operating officer of its dedicated vendor, Kilwins Quality Confections.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Desserts
Kilwins promoted Brad Williams from vice president of operations and training to chief operating officer. The company also named Joe Audia chief operating officer of Kilwins Quality Confections, the brand's vendor that supplies its retail stores.
Why it matters
The promotions place leaders with long franchise and operations backgrounds in charge of the chain's day-to-day running as it pursues growth. Kilwins is expanding into new states, which makes operational leadership central to opening and supplying stores.
Brad Williams has more than 30 years of franchise leadership experience, including overseeing operations across 580 Checkers & Rally's franchise locations before nearly six years at Wingstop. Joe Audia spent 24 years in the automotive industry before joining Kilwins as general manager of Kilwins Quality Confections.
The players
Kilwins
Kilwins is a confectionery chain founded in 1947 and headquartered in Michigan, with nearly 200 locations nationwide.
Brad Williams
Brad Williams is a franchise operations executive who previously led Checkers & Rally's franchise restaurants and spent nearly six years at Wingstop before joining Kilwins.
Joe Audia
Joe Audia is an executive with 24 years of automotive industry experience who now leads Kilwins Quality Confections, the chain's supplier of retail products.
The details
Williams joined Kilwins in May 2025 as vice president of operations and training and has now been promoted to chief operating officer. Audia joined Kilwins as general manager of Kilwins Quality Confections before being named its chief operating officer, a role overseeing the vendor that supplies the company's retail stores.
Timeline
May 2025: Brad Williams joins Kilwins as vice president of operations and training.
Last summer: Kilwins plans to expand in Texas with 10 new stores.
Beginning of 2026: Kilwins announces plans for more than 20 Arizona locations over three to five years.
October 2026: Kilwins identifies Utah as a priority market for expansion.
November 10, 2026: Kilwins promotes Williams and Audia to chief operating officer roles.
Culture Shift
The promotions come as Kilwins pursues new stores in Texas, Arizona and Utah, following a wider pattern of Michigan-based specialty food chains moving into Sun Belt states. Putting operations executives in charge signals a focus on building the supply and store systems that such multi-state growth requires.
For customers in Texas, Arizona and Utah, the planned store openings could bring Kilwins candy and fudge to new towns over the coming years. Shoppers elsewhere may see little immediate change from the leadership moves alone.
The takeaway
Leadership changes at growing chains often signal what comes next in store openings and supply. Readers who follow a favorite confectionery brand can watch for announced store openings in their state to see whether expansion plans take shape.
Further reading
For more on sweets and confection brands, browse our Desserts coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Chain Store Age.
