Mike DiBeneditto – CEO of Golden Waffles and Champion of Bold Brand Reinvention

Mike DiBeneditto is CEO of Golden Waffles, a nearly 90-year-old foodservice brand known for its fresh-baked waffle program. With a background in broadline distribution and leadership roles shaped by industry acquisitions, he brings an operator-first mindset grounded in clarity, partnership and disciplined execution.

Golden Waffles, founded in 1937, provides an all-inclusive waffle program to operators in more than 50,000 locations across 60 countries. The company supplies mix, irons, service and support, helping foodservice partners add fresh waffles to their menus without operational friction.

Under Mike’s leadership, the company rebranded from Golden Malted to Golden Waffles to better reflect what it actually delivers. The transition focused on clarity, modernization and honoring the company’s heritage, with careful internal communication and customer engagement throughout the process.

Mike describes the brand’s mission as “happy made easy,” explaining that Golden Waffles exists to remove friction for operators, not just sell waffle mix.

He shares that the rebrand was rooted in clarity. Customers already referred to the team as “the waffle people,” and the new name simply reinforced that identity.

Relentless communication was central to the rollout. Mike believes that if leaders do not clearly explain the why, employees and customers will fill in the blanks themselves.

Internally, involving long-tenured associates and even the founder’s grandson helped preserve heritage while modernizing the brand.

Mike defines success as the intersection of speed, honesty and accuracy, getting to the right answer quickly without cutting corners.

On trends, Golden Waffles focuses on solving real operator problems such as speed, simplicity and kitchen footprint rather than chasing hype.

Regarding AI and technology, Mike views it as a support tool that should make good teams better, not replace people.

At its core, he believes food is memory. Whether leading a rebrand or serving a waffle, the goal is to create shared experiences that people remember.

 

QUOTES

“If the waffle is right, you don’t need to hide it under toppings.” (Mike)

“Golden Waffles is the first time where I actually leapt at something. I ran towards something.” (Mike)

“We don’t just sell waffle mix. We help operators serve a great waffle without any friction.” (Mike)

“Bread tells you what to do. It’s a carrier. A waffle asks, how creative do you want to be?” (Mike)

“You don’t rebrand just to look cool. You better look cool at the end of it, but you don’t rebrand to look cool. You rebrand to be clear.” (Mike)

“Our rebrand was intended to remove friction, not necessarily to add polish.” (Mike)

“If you don’t explain the why, people will fill in the blanks. And when they do that, it typically doesn’t align with where leadership’s head is at.” (Mike)

“My definition of success is where speed, honesty and accuracy all meet. Who can get to the right answer the fastest without cheating?” (Mike)

“Technology should really disappear into the experience. AI is never going to replace people. It’s about making good teams better.” (Mike)

“The best meals aren’t really about complexity. It’s about who you share them with. Food is memory, that’s why it matters so much.” (Mike)