Dean Kowarski

Global Chief Executive Officer, Kauai and Virgin Active, Kauai

Dean Kowarski is Global Chief Executive Officer, Kauai and Virgin Active of Kauai, in the role since 2015.

Kauai is a South African healthy quick-service chain whose first smoothie bar opened in 1996 and which now has more than 250 stores in several countries. Real Foods bought it outright in 2015, and Kowarski, then Real Foods chief executive, took over as its CEO.

In the job

  1. Real Foods bought 100% of Kauai, which then had 154 stores, and Kowarski became its chief executive. Source

  2. Kauai said it was exploring AI-enabled ordering and redesigning its stores with more comfortable, work-friendly seating. Source

Career before

  1. Corporate finance and investment banking
  2. Chief executive, Real Foods

Sources

  1. dailyinvestor.com
  2. bizcommunity.com
  3. en.wikipedia.org

Facts last checked 3 November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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