Zambrero appoints Greater London Development Agents to drive next phase of UK growth

Zambrero, the modern Mexican quick-service restaurant franchise, has announced the appointment of Development Agents, Charles Stewart, Chris Seymour and Matt King, to spearhead expansion in Greater London.

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 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.

Together, their breadth of experience and deep understanding of the franchising industry make them ideally placed to drive Zambrero's growth strategy throughout Greater London.

The new appointment supports the modern Mexican quick-service restaurant group’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.

“When I first started researching the brand, what really stood out was its commitment to its freshly prepared, delicious menu, and the impact of the Plate 4 Plate initiative. That's a genuine differentiator for Zambrero and a key part of what makes the brand so compelling. It gives customers something more than just a great meal; there is a clear mission behind the business, and that's a unique selling point in itself. It's a proposition that resonates strongly with both guests and potential franchise partners.”

Chris Seymour added: “From an operational perspective, there are clear synergies between Zambrero and other franchise businesses we have successfully operated throughout our careers. The similarities in the model allow us to bring proven experience, established processes and a deep understanding of what drives sustainable growth. That gives us confidence that we can hit the ground running and create a strong platform for expansion across Greater London.”

Matt King concluded: “Equally important was the quality of the people behind the brand. We were impressed by both the leadership team and the network of Development Agents already in place. There is a collaborative culture, a shared ambition and a clear commitment to growing the brand in the right way. Having that level of support and alignment across the network gives us great confidence as we embark on this next phase of Zambrero's growth journey.”

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.

Zambrero UK is headed by CEO, Emily Teh, who said: “Charles, Chris and Matt bring a strong combination of experience, local market knowledge and proven franchise expertise to Zambrero. Greater London represents a significant growth opportunity for the brand, and their track record in network development, site selection and operations makes them the ideal team to lead our expansion across the region. We are excited to welcome them to the Zam Fam and look forward to supporting them as they build on the momentum we have created in the UK market so far.”

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.

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.

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