Zambrero UK appoints McKenna Townsend to accelerate franchise development and support new restaurant openings

Rambrero UK, the Mexican-inspired quick-service franchise, has appointed leading franchise development and full-service PR and communications agency, McKenna Townsend to launch its franchise recruitment programme in the UK, helping the brand to open 100 restaurants by 2030.

Zambrero was founded in Australia in 2005 by Dr. Sam Prince, one of Australia’s most successful entrepreneurs and philanthropists. It is now a global brand, with more than 300 restaurants in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Ireland and the UK, and is the largest Mexican restaurant franchise in both Australia and Ireland.

Since its 2021 launch in London, Zambrero UK now has 13 restaurants in England, located in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Reading and Essex.

Zambrero UK is already on its way to achieving its target, having recently signed up its first three Franchise Partners who will open new sites within the next 12 months, including its first site in Scotland.  The brand is now looking for Franchise Partners to become part of the ‘Zam Fam’ – a large support network of franchise restaurant owners and business support specialists, whilst also seeking Area Developers to accelerate its expansion plans.

As well as driving franchise enquiries for the brand, targeting multi-unit, multi-brand, individuals and corporate partners for non-traditional locations, McKenna Townsend will be supporting Zambrero with national trade and consumer PR and influencer activity for new restaurant openings.

Oli Ingham, GM Marketing at Zambrero UK said: “This is an exciting time for Zambrero UK, as we supercharge our franchise development programme and are delighted to be working with the team at McKenna Townsend to help us reach our goals.  Their knowledge in the franchise arena, as well as in the food & beverage sector will be invaluable in helping us achieve our ambitious growth targets in the UK.  We are looking forward to our partnership and tapping into their expertise.”

Zambrero serves Mexican-inspired food with a focus on fresh ingredients, specially crafted marinades and flavour-packed sauces for customers to customise to their own taste. Famous for its burritos and bowls, it also offers vegetarian and vegan menu options.

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 so far has donated over 95 million meals in the developing world. The combination of delicious freshly prepared food and giving back is why Zambrero call themselves Feel Good Mex.

Sarah Townsend, Co-Founder and Managing Director at McKenna Townsend, said: “We are excited to be working with Zambrero UK to support its franchise development plans and to build brand awareness. We have extensive experience in the franchise and food & beverage sectors, having worked with international brands such as Subway® and Gong cha, making us perfectly placed to drive forward growth for this dynamic brand. Zambrero has ambitious and achievable expansion plans for the market, and we are looking forward to playing our part on this journey.  We are proud to be supporting an entrepreneurial brand which firmly has CSR and charitable aims built into its foundations.”