Spotlight: Ex-Taco Bell Exec to Head Diedrich Coffee

Irvine-based Diedrich Coffee, looking to return to profitability after a year of growing pains, said former Taco Bell Chairman John Martin will become Diedrich’s chairman and will invest $1 million in the 37-store chain. Martin is bringing aboard former Sizzler USA and Taco Bell executive Tim Ryan as chief executive. The duo’s biggest challenge is to expand in a heavily competitive and fragmented market where only one chain--Seattle-based Starbucks Corp.--has managed to make a mark.