Posted:29-April-2026
Zambrero appoints Development Agent for the South East of England as part of UK growth strategy
Zambrero is pleased to announce the appointment of Development Agent, Sumin Lohani, to spearhead expansion in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Berkshire.
He will be responsible for Franchise Partner recruitment in the three counties, with plans to open up to 30 restaurants by 2030, with at least 20 to open in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and 10 in Berkshire. The new openings will create around 450 jobs, including full and part-time roles.
Development will focus on larger towns and cities with initial efforts to secure locations in high footfall areas on high streets, shopping centres, retail parks, and university and college campuses.
Target areas in Hampshire will include Southampton, Portsmouth, Basingstoke, Winchester, Fareham and Gosport, while target areas in Berkshire include Reading, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Windsor and Wokingham. Sumin will also be seeking prime locations on the Isle of Wight.
Sumin is a seasoned entrepreneur; he set up his own small business before scaling up to run multi-site franchise operations. He brings a wealth of franchise knowledge and experience, having been a Franchise Partner for other franchise businesses since 2017. He is currently a multi-site Franchise Partner with Yo! Sushi and CEO and owner of The Compasses Inn in the New Forest, Hampshire.
Sumin joined Zambrero as a Franchise Partner in mid-2025 and took over an existing restaurant in Reading. He is now becoming a multi-site owner, with the opening of his second Zambrero restaurant in late May at the Festival Place Shopping Centre in Basingstoke.
Sumin has lived and worked in the Hampshire region for 20 years. His local knowledge, coupled with this extensive franchising experience, makes him ideally placed to lead Zambrero’s expansion in the Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Berkshire regions. Alongside recruitment of industry-leading Franchise Partners, Sumin will also assist with location acquisition, operational support, brand integrity, regional marketing activation and business strategy.
The new appointment supports the modern Mexican restaurant group’s plans to open 100 restaurants nationwide by 2030 through strategic franchise partnerships. Sumin is now looking for Franchise Partners who align with Zambrero’s mission and brand standards to open new restaurants across the three counties.
Sumin Lohani, Zambrero Development Agent for Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Berkshire, said: “I am delighted to announce my appointment as a Development Agent for Zambrero. Having worked with the brand as a Franchise Partner for many months, I believe it has great growth potential here in the UK. This is a unique opportunity for both new and experienced Franchise Partners – whether that be single-site owners, multi-site owners or corporate partners - to join a fast-growing global brand. For ambitious entrepreneurs ready for growth, there has never been a more exciting time to get involved.”
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 in the developing world via its distribution partner, Rise Against Hunger℠. With the help of its customers around the world, the initiative has now donated over 100 million meals in the developing world. The combination of delicious freshly prepared food and giving back is why Zambrero call themselves Feel Good Mex.
Sumin continued: “What attracted me most to Zambrero is its powerful blend of purpose and business innovation. At the heart of the brand is the Plate 4 Plate initiative, one of the most inspiring humanitarian projects in the industry, which directly connects everyday business activity to meaningful global impact, creating a tangible, day-to-day difference in people’s lives.
“Through its partnership with Rise Against Hunger℠, Zambrero has created a model that goes beyond traditional corporate responsibility, uniting customers, teams and communities in a shared mission to fight hunger. Being part of a business that delivers great food while driving real social change is incredibly motivating. Zambrero represents a new generation of purpose‑driven enterprise, where every plate truly matters.”
Since its 2021 launch in London, Zambrero now has 14 restaurants across the UK, located in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Reading, Essex and Glasgow. Basingstoke will be the 16th restaurant in its UK portfolio, following a 15th restaurant opening in St. Paul's in early May.
Zambrero UK is headed by CEO, Emily Teh, who said: “Sumin joined the Zam Fam as a Franchise Partner at the very inception of our franchise model here in the UK. I’m delighted to see him take the reins as a Development Agent, and use his existing Zambrero experience, along with his extensive franchising knowledge, to introduce Zambrero to even more people across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Berkshire. Our regional Development Agent model has delivered strong results in markets including Australia and Ireland, where Zambrero leads the Mexican QSR category, and we’re confident this proven approach will drive the same success here in the UK.”
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 both Australia 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.
Interested and want to know more about Zambrero UK?
The Zambrero UK profile outlines all aspects of their franchise opportunity and allows you to contact them for further information or to ask a question.
