Known for its fresh, modern Mexican menu and its Plate 4 Plate initiative, where every burrito or bowl helps provide a meal for someone in need, Zambrero is a purpose-led brand with a strong sense of responsibility. But just as important is its approach to growth: not fast for the sake of fast, but deliberate, considered and focused on long-term success, a model that they’ve implemented across their global 350+ restaurant network.
A day in the life of a development agent
No two days are ever the same and that’s exactly how it should be. Here’s a snapshot of just one day from last week.
The day began by assessing the build viability of a site we had already identified as a potential Zambrero restaurant, alongside one of our trusted contractors. It’s always an exciting stage of the process. You hope there are no unexpected surprises, but experience has taught us that challenges can usually be overcome if the location is right. We can adapt a design to suit an exceptional site, but no amount of great design will ever compensate for the wrong location. We looked at everything from footfall and visibility to accessibility, neighbouring businesses and whether the site fitted Zambrero’s long-term development strategy across Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire.
By mid-morning, I was meeting with a prospective franchise partner to understand their ambitions, discuss what they are looking to achieve and, just as importantly, assess whether they are the right fit for Zambrero. Of course, no meeting is complete without introducing them to our fresh, modern Mexican food, it’s amazing how many conversations continue over a burrito!
After lunch, it was store design time- we have a new location opening in a couple of months and the design phase is critical- years of experience have taught us that the decisions we make now on where to place keys pieces of equipment will affect the operations and customer flow for years to come- we cannot get it wrong.
The afternoon finished with a visit to one of our existing restaurants, reviewing performance, discussing local marketing opportunities and planning the next phase of growth. Those conversations are some of the most rewarding because they demonstrate that our role doesn’t end when a restaurant opens, it’s about helping franchise partners continue to grow successful businesses.
My Development Agent partner, Damian Bennett and I are also franchise partners ourselves, so the advice we give isn’t theoretical, it’s based on lived experience. We have invested our own money, opened restaurants, managed teams, navigated staffing pressures, controlled costs and dealt with the day-to-day realities of hospitality. We understand exactly what our franchise partners experience- we don’t just understand franchising, we are living it every single day.
One of the biggest misconceptions about Development Agents is that we are franchise salespeople. In reality, recruitment is only a small part of the role. Our real responsibility is building successful franchise businesses that stand the test of time.
Before Zambrero, Damian and I spent more than 20 years growing the Subway brand across Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, when it was still establishing itself in the UK. That experience reinforced one simple principle that still guides everything we do today: success in franchising is not measured by how many restaurants you open, it is measured by how many successful franchise partners you create.
Local knowledge can’t be taught
For Damian and I Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire aren’t just territories on a map, they are communities we have lived in, worked in and built businesses in for decades.
That matters more than people often realise.
You cannot understand a market from a spreadsheet. You need to understand how people move through towns, where they shop, how one location differs from another and how those patterns evolve over time. That kind of insight can only come from being part of a market, not analysing it from a distance.
Over the years we have learned one lesson above all others: the right location is worth waiting for.
We have seen that one outstanding restaurant will always create more long-term value than several average ones. That is why we take a disciplined approach to site selection. We would rather wait for the perfect location in a town than rush into opening a restaurant simply because a unit happens to be available.
Every opportunity is assessed through that lens, demographics, visibility, accessibility, neighbouring businesses and long-term trading potential. Sometimes the right decision is to move forward. Sometimes it is to wait. But every decision must protect the franchise partner’s long-term success.
That local knowledge is reinforced by long-standing relationships built over decades with landlords, commercial agents, surveyors, contractors and fit-out specialists across our regions.
It means we are not starting from scratch with every opportunity. Those relationships streamline the journey from site identification through to opening, reduce risk and give franchise partners immediate access to trusted professionals who understand both the market and the brand
Growing the right way
Another misconception about the Development Agent model is that our involvement ends when a restaurant opens.
In reality, that’s when the relationship becomes most important.
We continue working closely with franchise partners on sales performance, labour efficiency, local marketing, operational consistency and future growth opportunities. Sometimes that means helping solve challenges early; other times it’s about identifying opportunities to strengthen the business over time.
When franchise partners succeed, everybody benefits. The franchise partner builds a stronger business, Zambrero strengthens its network and we fulfil the role we were appointed to do.
The Development Agent model only works when three things align: the right brand, the right Development Agents and the right franchise partners.
The Zambrero UK Head Office team provides the vision, systems and structure of a global brand. We provide local knowledge and operational experience. Franchise partners bring ambition and investment.
When those three elements come together, growth becomes sustainable rather than simply fast.
For anyone considering franchising with Zambrero, you are investing in far more than a proven global franchise. You are joining a network where experienced partners are alongside you from your first enquiry through to opening day, and long afterwards.
Final thought
After more than two decades in franchising, one thing has never changed for me. Great brands are not built by opening the most restaurants, they are built by helping the right franchise partners succeed.
That’s exactly what Damian and I set out to do every day.
At Zambrero, we are continuing to grow our network of outstanding restaurants across the UK and we are actively looking to connect with both Development Agents and Franchise Partners who share our belief in local knowledge, operational experience and sustainable, long-term growth.
For Development Agents, we are seeking experienced franchise professionals who understand what it takes to build successful multi-site networks and support partners beyond the point of opening.
For Franchise Partners, we are looking for ambitious operators who want to build strong, well-supported businesses within a proven global brand.
At Zambrero, we’re not simply growing a restaurant network. We’re building a community of successful business owners, one great location, one great franchise partner and one outstanding restaurant at a time.
