The team will be responsible for franchise partner recruitment in the capital, with plans to open 36 sites within the next three years, creating around 540 jobs, including full and part-time roles.
Development will initially focus on high-footfall areas in flagship locations, including Victoria, Southbank, Westminster, and Paddington, as well as expanding Zambrero’s existing presence within the City of London. As the network grows, the team will extend its development plans to wider London boroughs. The partnership is actively seeking a variety of site opportunities, with a particular focus on high streets, retail parks, business districts and leisure destinations, all suiting Zambrero’s flexible format and streamlined operating model.
Alongside recruitment of industry-leading franchise partners, the Development Agent team will also assist with location acquisition, restaurant openings, operational support, brand integrity, regional marketing activation and business strategy.
Charles, Chris and Matt bring more than 45 years of combined franchising, operations and business development experience to the partnership. The trio have all previously worked with a leading QSR franchise brand in the UK, where the foundations of their new collaboration were established.
Charles spent 16 years as Director of Operations for the Greater London Development Office, playing a key role in expanding the network across the region. He was responsible for identifying and recruiting new franchise partners, securing strategic locations, and providing ongoing support to franchisees throughout the territory.
Chris has been a multi-unit operator for 26 years and has successfully opened 26 restaurants across London, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. He currently operates a portfolio of 17 stores and has a proven track record for identifying high-potential sites, having personally sourced around 80% of his locations. Matt, meanwhile, brings extensive operational expertise, having begun his career in the agricultural sector before joining the QSR industry as a franchise partner in 2023. Since then, he has successfully grown his portfolio to five stores, further strengthening the partnership’s operational capability and growth ambitions.
The new appointments support Zambrero ‘s initial plans to open 100 sites nationwide by 2030 through strategic franchise partnerships. The Development Agent team is now looking for Franchise Partners who align with Zambrero’s mission and brand standards to open new locations in the capital.
At the heart of Zambrero is its hugely successful ‘Plate 4 Plate’ humanitarian initiative. Every time a burrito or bowl is purchased at any of its restaurants, Zambrero sends a nutritious meal to someone in need via its distribution partner, Rise Against Hunger℠. With the help of its customers around the world, the initiative has now donated over 110 million meals in the developing world. The combination of delicious freshly prepared food and giving back is why Zambrero call themselves Feel Good Mex.
For Charles, Chris and Matt, it was a combination of the brand’s purpose, proven model and growth potential that made the opportunity particularly compelling.
Charles Stewart said: “What attracted us to Zambrero was the strength of the brand, its clear sense of purpose and the significant growth opportunity that exists within the UK market. The business already has a strong foundation in place, and we see real potential to build on that success across Greater London. Having spent much of my career focused on development in London, I understand the market well and believe our combined experience puts us in a strong position to support the next phase of growth.”
Since its 2021 launch in London, Zambrero now has 17 sites across the UK, located in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Reading, Essex, Hampshire, Northampton and Glasgow.
With more than 20 years’ experience running restaurants, Zambrero has grown into a global brand through its successful franchise programmes, with over 350 restaurants in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. It is also the largest Mexican restaurant franchise in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.
Zambrero serves a modern take on Mexican favourites with a focus on fresh ingredients, specially crafted marinades and flavour-packed sauces for customers to tailor to their own taste. Famous for its burritos and bowls, it also offers tacos, nachos and quesadillas, as well as vegetarian, vegan and Halal menu options.
The new Development Agent team will be at the National Franchise Exhibition on 2nd and 3rd October at the NEC, Birmingham, alongside the wider Zambrero UK Development team.
Key takeaways
- Zambrero has appointed Charles Stewart, Chris Seymour and Matt King as Development Agents for Greater London, bringing more than 45 years of combined franchising, operations and business development experience.
- The team will focus on recruiting franchise partners in high-footfall flagship locations including Victoria, Southbank, Canary Wharf and King’s Cross, with plans to open 36 sites within the M25.
- The appointments support Zambrero’s target of 100 UK sites nationwide by 2030, building on its current 17 locations across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Bristol.
- Zambrero’s Plate 4 Plate initiative donates a meal to someone in need every time a burrito or bowl is purchased, having provided more than 75 million meals globally since launch.
- The new Development Agent team will be at the National Franchise Exhibition on 2-3 October at the NEC, Birmingham.
