David Orwasher

With an extensive corporate development background, David Orwasher brings over twenty years of experience to the RealFood team developing retail brands, overseeing operations and systems, and building properties professionally in a range of management capacities for national and regional companies. Most recently, he has served as the Chief Development Officer and President of Retail for Dale and Thomas Popcorn, a rapidly growing purveyor of premium popcorn. As Chief Development Officer, David was responsible for developing the growth strategy for the company and operating the Dale and Thomas Retail Strategic Business Unit. During his tenure, David helped raise over $37 million of private and institutional equity for the company.

Prior to Dale and Thomas, David served as Chief Development Officer for Cosi Inc., a 100-unit restaurant chain who he helped take public. At Cosi, David was in charge of franchising, real estate, construction, design and property management. Before that, David spent over five years with Starbucks Coffee as their Vice President of Development and Asset Management for the Eastern United States where he helped build the real estate development, construction and asset management organization for the company. During this time David helped develop the strategy and oversaw the entry into 17 new markets for the company, as well as presided over the development and opening of nearly 1000 stores.

David has also served as the Chief Development Officer for Zoots, a then-emerging Dry Cleaning chain founded by Tom Stemberg, founder and Chairman of Staples, whose plan was to develop and roll out a chain of branded dry cleaning stores. Prior to this, David spent five years as Associate Counsel, as well as Director of Leasing and Brokerage, for the Breslin Realty Development Corporation, a full service commercial real estate development company based on Long Island, New York. During his tenure the company completed numerous acquisitions and developed property that resulted in a portfolio of millions of square feet of retail.

David's other corporate experience includes nearly five years in the hospitality business with the real estate group at the Marriott Corporation and two years with the Hershey Corporation, Friendly Restaurant Division. David's earliest experiences were with a boutique Real Estate Syndication firm in addition to spending five years running a family bakery business in New York City, a wholesale and retail venture.

David is a graduate of Vassar College where he earned his B.A. in Environmental Science, and a graduate of Pace University Law School, where he secured his J.D.