Executive Spotlight: Aaron Engler, CEO of Border Foods in New Hope, Minnesota (2027)
Aaron Engler is the CEO of Border Foods, a Taco Bell franchisee headquartered in New Hope, Minnesota. Twin Cities Business (February 2025) reports that the CEO title took effect at the start of February 2025, after he had served as the company's president.
Border Foods was founded in 1996 and, per the same article, runs just under 250 Taco Bell restaurants across the Upper Midwest and is among the largest privately held Taco Bell franchisees in the country. This page covers public professional information only, taken from pages read for this page.
Current role and company
Engler is CEO of Border Foods. The Restaurant Finance & Development Conference (RFDC) 2025 speaker page lists him as CEO and president, and a July 2025 River Cities' Reader item on a restaurant opening calls him president and CEO.
- CompanyBorder Foods, a Taco Bell franchisee based in New Hope, Minnesota (River Cities' Reader, Jul 2025).
- TitleCEO since February 2025 (Twin Cities Business, Feb 2025); he also holds the president title (RFDC 2025 speaker page).
- FootprintRestaurants in 10 states, including Montana, the Dakotas, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota (Twin Cities Business, Feb 2025).
- OwnershipPrivately held; Engler told Twin Cities Business the company has no private equity or family office money.
Career path
- President. Twin Cities Business says he had been president of Border Foods since 2019; the RFDC speaker page says he became president in 2020. The sources differ by a year.
- Real estate role. The RFDC speaker page also lists him as president of Marvin Development, a commercial real estate development company.
- February 2025: CEO. Border Foods announced him as its new CEO on February 3, 2025, according to the photo caption in Twin Cities Business.
- July 2025: 250th restaurant. The River Cities' Reader reports the company's 250th Upper Midwest restaurant opened in Davenport, Iowa, on July 23, 2025, with Engler quoted as president and CEO.
What Engler is known for
- A stated growth target. Twin Cities Business reports his personal goal is 350 locations, with plans to build five to ten restaurants a year through new construction and acquisitions.
- Taco Bell Defy. Border Foods operates the first Taco Bell Defy restaurant, in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota: a four-lane drive-thru with an elevated kitchen and a vertical lift for food delivery, aimed at mobile and delivery orders. Engler said there were no immediate plans for a second Defy while the company learned from it.
- Minnesota footprint. The company expected about 100 Minnesota restaurants by the end of 2025 (Twin Cities Business).
- Steady through uncertainty. He attributed stable 2024 performance to fast food's value positioning, which tends to hold up in hard economic times.
Leadership style and philosophy
These are Engler's own words as quoted by Twin Cities Business, plus the RFDC bio's description.
- On the role. "It means everything to me to have this opportunity," he said in a phone interview.
- On growth. "We want to build five to 10 restaurants a year."
- On independence. "We actually don't have any private equity money or family office money."
- On technology. Of Defy: "It shows what the [quick-service restaurant] business can do with technology."
- On resilience. "Fast food, being on the more value-oriented side of things, tends to be a little more resilient."
- Bio description. The RFDC speaker bio describes him as a hands-on leader focused on growth and a people-first culture.
Key numbers
Figures are company-reported or press-reported, each with its period. They are not audited and counts change.
- 1996Year Border Foods was founded (Twin Cities Business, Feb 2025).
- Feb 2025 (Twin Cities Business)Just under 250 Taco Bell restaurants; about 7,500 employees, roughly 40 of them at the New Hope corporate office.
- Jul 2025 (River Cities' Reader)250th Upper Midwest restaurant opened in Davenport, Iowa; the 14th in the Quad Cities area.
- 2025 bio (RFDC)More than 250 Taco Bell restaurants across 10 states, starting from about 60 Minnesota restaurants in the mid-1990s.
- Goal350 locations, built at five to ten restaurants a year (Engler, Twin Cities Business).
Questions people ask
Who is Aaron Engler?
He is the CEO of Border Foods, a New Hope, Minnesota-based Taco Bell franchisee. Twin Cities Business reports the CEO title took effect in February 2025.
What does Border Foods do?
It owns and operates Taco Bell restaurants as a franchisee, with about 250 locations across the Upper Midwest per 2025 reports.
How many restaurants does Border Foods operate?
Twin Cities Business reported just under 250 in February 2025, and the River Cities' Reader reported the 250th opening in July 2025. The RFDC bio says more than 250 in 10 states.
What is Engler's growth goal?
He told Twin Cities Business his personal goal is 350 locations, building five to ten restaurants a year.
What is Taco Bell Defy?
A Taco Bell restaurant concept with four drive-thru lanes and a vertical lift for deliveries. Border Foods runs the first one, in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
Sources
- Twin Cities Business: Border Foods CEO's Goal: 100 More Taco Bells in the Midwest (Feb 13, 2025) · CEO title, goals, company numbers, Defy, quotes
- Restaurant Finance & Development Conference: Aaron Engler, CEO & President, Border Foods (2025 speaker page) · Titles, bio, company footprint; hero photo (page names Aaron Engler)
- River Cities' Reader: Border Foods Celebrates Grand Opening of New Taco Bell in Davenport, Iowa (Jul 23, 2025) · 250th restaurant, title, headquarters
Facts were read from the linked pages on November 1, 2026. Titles and counts are as of the dates shown; no later unit total was confirmed. The hero photo is the headshot on the RFDC 2025 speaker page for Aaron Engler; it shows him alone and is centered on a blurred card. Photo: Restaurant Finance & Development Conference (2025 speaker page). This page covers public professional information only.
Top photo: Restaurant Finance & Development Conference (2025 speaker page)