Zambrero, the Australian-founded Mexican restaurant brand, has signed fourteen franchise partners in the first year of its UK recruitment programme, expanding its estate to sixteen restaurants and appointing three development agents to steer regional growth. The figures mark early progress towards the brand’s stated ambition of one hundred restaurants across the UK by 2030.
The programme has drawn interest from entrepreneurs nationwide, with several of the agreements covering multiple sites. For investors and business leaders watching the UK franchise market, the brand’s opening year offers evidence that a clearly structured proposition, paired with a humanitarian mission, can still cut through a competitive casual dining sector.
A franchise model built for expansion
Early partners and a national target
Zambrero’s first-year intake of fourteen partners includes several multi-site commitments, a pattern the brand reads as confidence in its operational model. The company, an Emerging Member of the British Franchise Association, has placed franchisee support at the centre of its recruitment pitch. Its stated goal of one hundred UK restaurants by 2030 gives the network a measurable yardstick against which investors can judge progress.
Interest has come from across the country, and several partners have committed to more than one location. Emily Teh, chief executive of Zambrero UK, has described the quality of people joining the network as one of the most encouraging aspects of the first year, pointing to entrepreneurs with a genuine passion for hospitality and business growth.
Development agents guiding regional growth
Expansion is being led through a development agent network covering fourteen counties. Damian Bennett and Dawn Catherall were the first appointments, taking charge of Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, and were followed by existing franchise partner Sumin Lohani, who now leads growth across Hampshire, Berkshire and the Isle of Wight.
James Fleck, Michelle Jelfs and Sarah Preston have since been appointed to drive the West Midlands and South West. Advanced discussions are under way for four of the remaining nine development agent territories. The structure is intended to give new partners local guidance and confidence from day one, according to the company.
Growth underpinned by purpose
One hundred million meals donated
The brand’s Plate 4 Plate initiative, which donates a nutritious meal for every burrito or bowl purchased through its global distribution partner Rise Against Hunger, has surpassed one hundred million meals globally. Founder Dr Sam Prince built Zambrero around the belief that business can be a force for good, and the mission remains central to the way the network presents itself to prospective partners.
Emily Teh credits the initiative with attracting franchise partners who want commercial returns aligned with social impact, describing it as a genuine point of difference. Members of the UK team have visited community projects supported by the programme to see its effects first hand.
Commercial results keeping pace
The purpose story is matched by trading performance that supports the brand’s growth case. Like-for-like sales rose by 28 per cent over the past twelve months, building on growth of 36 per cent in the preceding six-month period. The estate now spans London, Manchester, Birmingham, Reading, Basingstoke, Essex and Glasgow.
Recent openings include the brand’s first Scottish restaurant in Glasgow’s West End and a third City of London site. Menu development, including protein-led limited offers such as the Power Burrito and Power Bowl, has supported customer demand alongside the estate growth.
Technology and the road ahead
Digital investment building loyalty
A digital loyalty programme, Zam Club, has attracted more than twelve thousand members and is now available across the entire UK estate. It sits alongside a fully integrated electronic point of sale system from Vita Mojo, intended to simplify restaurant operations and encourage repeat visits.
The brand plans to add click-and-collect, catering and mobile app ordering, extending the digital offer for customers and franchise partners alike. The investments are designed to strengthen a customer journey while giving partners practical tools to build long-term loyalty.
The next phase of growth
Zambrero is onboarding partners for openings in Brackmills, the Isle of Man, Rochdale, Golders Green and a second Glasgow location. By the end of 2026 the brand aims to sign a further twenty partners, taking committed partnerships to thirty-five, with up to ten new restaurants forecast and thirty further locations targeted for 2027. A clear roadmap spans recruitment, openings and digital innovation as the network enters its second year of franchising.
For investors surveying the UK franchise market, the brand’s progress illustrates how structured regional support and a distinctive mission can anchor an expanding national network. Growth on this scale will still depend on execution, but the first-year figures give the young programme a credible foundation.