Zambrero targets 100 UK sites by 2030 with franchise push
It has donated almost 95 million meals as part of efforts to end world hunger.
Zambrero, the Australian fast-food chain that serves Mexican cuisine, is boosting its UK presence with plans to open 100 restaurants by 2030, beginning with a rollout in Scotland.
The company, which has operated in the UK for four years, reported 40% like-for-like sales growth and announced in July that it would shift from a purely corporate-owned model to franchising.
“The first stage of our expansion was via corporate restaurants,” Emily Teh, CEO at Zambrero UK, told QSR Media. “We’re now at the stage where we want to accelerate via franchising, because that’s how we’ve expanded across the different regions over time.”
Zambrero, which donates a meal to someone in need for every burrito or bowl sold as a vehicle to end world hunger, operates 13 company-owned sites in the UK, supported by a £141m investment from Metric Capital Partners.
“Over the past 12 months, we’ve averaged over 40% growth—well above industry trends… that gives us a lot of confidence,” Teh said.
The chain’s kitchen model is designed for efficiency, requiring neither complex cooking equipment nor highly skilled labour. Store formats range from kiosks and drive-thrus to high-street locations and bespoke shipping container builds.
Teh said franchise recruitment would focus on experienced area developers. “We’re currently in the final stages of signing our first area developer in this region, who will begin onboarding later this month, and we’re actively in discussions with other prospective partners.”
Multi-site ownership will be a key measure of success. “In other regions, over half of our franchise partners own multiple restaurants… and to have a franchise partner want to go again really means that we’re doing a lot right,” she said.
Zambrero is also finalising agreements with suppliers who can support nationwide growth. “We’re in a strong position to leverage our global supply chain, which supports our ability to scale,” Teh said.
Founded in 2005 in Canberra, Zambrero also operates in New Zealand, Ireland, and the US. The brand had donated almost 95 million meals under its “Plate 4 Plate” initiative as of August, according to its website.
