PURA VIDA MIAMI EXPANDS FOUNDER-LED LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH THREE INDUSTRY VETERANS
Trio adds real estate development, culinary, and marketing leadership as Pura Vida Miami enters its next stage of growth
MIAMI, FL – June 17, 2026 – Pura Vida Miami, the all-day café and lifestyle brand operating over 50 locations across six states, today announced three senior executive appointments to its leadership team: Andrew McCaughan as Chief Development Officer, Chad Brauze as Chief Culinary Officer, and Bruno Cardinali as Chief Marketing Officer.
The three executives join Co-Founders Omer and Jennifer Horev in newly created roles that will carry the brand into its next chapter by expanding thoughtfully, strengthening menu innovation and culinary execution, and reaching new consumers, while protecting the brand and hospitality experience that have defined Pura Vida Miami since 2012.
“We built Pura Vida Miami around quality ingredients, exceptional hospitality, and a genuine connection to the communities we serve,” said Omer Horev, Co-Founder and CEO of Pura Vida Miami. “Andrew, Chad, and Bruno each bring the experience and the conviction to help us scale those values without compromise. Expanding our leadership team has been an important priority, and I’m confident they will help position Pura Vida Miami for its next phase. These appointments are a strong signal about where the brand is headed.”
Andrew McCaughan, Chief Development Officer
McCaughan joins Pura Vida Miami after more than 16 years at Shake Shack, where he helped guide the brand’s development from its original New York City location into an internationally recognized restaurant company. As a senior development executive, he built deep expertise in real estate strategy, unit-level performance, and disciplined growth at scale. At Pura Vida Miami, McCaughan will lead development strategy, support thoughtful expansion into new markets, and strengthen unit economics across the brand’s existing platform. His experience working with founders and investors makes him a strong fit for Pura Vida Miami’s next chapter.
"Pura Vida Miami is at exactly the inflection point I find most compelling — a brand built around craveable food people genuinely love, a clear point of view, and real room to grow,” said Andrew McCaughan, Chief Development Officer. “I've spent my career thinking about how you build something at scale without losing what made it worth building in the first place — incredible people, community, and hospitality. That's the work in front of us, and I can't wait to get started."
Chad Brauze, Chief Culinary Officer
Brauze joins Pura Vida Miami from Sweetgreen, where as Head of Culinary he built the menu development and kitchen operations that sustained the brand’s culinary program across a nationally scaled footprint. Before Sweetgreen, Brauze led food development for both Chipotle and Burger King. Earlier in his career he trained in several Michelin-starred kitchens including those of Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller, giving him a rare combination of fine-dining technique and fast-casual execution experience. His academic background in mathematics and computer science complements a track record of bringing analytical rigor to sourcing, recipe development, and kitchen operations. At Pura Vida Miami, he will lead sourcing, culinary strategy and menu development.
“What excites me about Pura Vida Miami is the combination of chef-crafted food, a clear culinary point of view, and a distinctive hospitality experience,” said Chad Brauze, Chief Culinary Officer. “This is elevated wellness food that people come back for. My focus is making sure that same craft and consistency shows up at every location, every day, as the brand grows.”.
Bruno Cardinali, Chief Marketing Officer
Bruno Cardinali brings deep experience in brand and marketing leadership across CPG and restaurants. Most recently, as Global CMO of Oakberry, he scaled marketing across a network of approximately 1,000 locations in nearly 50 countries through high-profile partnerships in sports and culture. Previously, Cardinali served as CMO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, where he led the brand’s transformation and the launch of the iconic Chicken Sandwich campaign. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at Burger King and Unilever. Cardinali brings a unique blend of brand-building, digital marketing, and scaled growth experience to support Pura Vida Miami’s next chapter.
“I'm incredibly excited to join the Pura Vida Miami team,” said Bruno Cardinali, Chief Marketing Officer. “Omer and Jen have built an exceptional business grounded in a meaningful lifestyle brand, beautiful design, and an outstanding customer experience. The opportunity now is to bring that story to more people across more markets while staying true to the values that make the brand so special.”
The leadership additions follow Pura Vida Miami’s strategic growth investment from TSG Consumer in November 2025 and reflects the brand’s continued momentum as it expands nationally.
ABOUT PURA VIDA MIAMI:
Founded in 2012 by husband-and-wife team Omer and Jennifer Horev, Pura Vida Miami is an all-day café and lifestyle brand with a growing national footprint. With more than 50 locations across Florida, New York, California, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey, the brand has evolved from a single Miami Beach café into a multi-state concept rooted in quality, hospitality, and community.
Known for its vibrant menu, Pura Vida Miami offers a thoughtfully curated selection of avocado toasts, pasture-raised egg dishes, chef-driven salads, high-protein plates, wraps, bowls, cold-pressed juices, smoothies, açaí bowls, and fresh-baked goods, all made with high-quality ingredients and thoughtful preparation.
Beyond the menu, Pura Vida Miami is designed to be a welcoming third space, a place that exists between home and work where guests can connect, recharge, gather, or simply enjoy a moment for themselves. Inspired by Miami's coastal lifestyle, each café features a bright, airy atmosphere that encourages people to linger and fosters a sense of belonging throughout the day. By combining warm hospitality, purposeful design, and a distinctive café experience, Pura Vida Miami has become more than a place to eat. It is a lifestyle destination where people come together from morning to evening.
For more information, visit puravidamiami.com and follow @PuraVidaMiami on Instagram and TikTok.
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Pura Vida Miami

