What Zambrero does

Zambrero is an Australian-founded Mexican-inspired fast-casual restaurant chain operating over 230 locations across six countries (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Scotland). Founded in 2005 by Dr. Sam Prince as a 21-year-old medical student with $16,000 in personal savings, the company positions itself under the "Feel Good Mex" brand and centers its identity on the Plate 4 Plate initiative, which has donated over 100 million meals to people in need through partnerships with Rise Against Hunger, Love Mercy Foundation, and Food Bank. The menu consists of freshly prepared, highly customizable items including burritos, bowls, soft and hard tacos, nachos, quesadillas, dos capas, and chips with salsa, with dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly options.

The business operates primarily through a franchise model with three restaurant formats (kiosk, strip storefront, and drive-thru) that accommodate different capital investment levels and real estate contexts. Revenue derives from three streams: direct food sales at company-owned and franchise restaurants via dine-in, takeaway, and delivery channels; franchise fees and royalties for brand, operating model, and support services; and catering for groups of 10 or more. Distribution is augmented by partnerships with DoorDash for third-party delivery and EZ Cater for corporate and event catering orders. The company maintains wholly-owned regional operating subsidiaries across each market and is governed from its global headquarters in Surry Hills, Sydney, with US operations run through US Zambrero Pty Ltd under Massachusetts jurisdiction.

Zambrero remains privately held and founder-controlled after Sam Prince bought back outside equity in 2015 to regain 100% ownership, with first disclosed institutional capital from Metric Capital Partners arriving in March 2023. Leadership has been progressively professionalized, with Daryl McCormack appointed CEO for Australia, New Zealand, and North America, Emily Teh as UK CEO, and separate CEOs historically managing Australian operations. Multi-restaurant franchise ownership is actively encouraged, and the company continues to expand through development agents in newer markets, most recently targeting up to 30 restaurants across Hampshire and Berkshire in the UK by 2030 alongside a new Glasgow, Scotland opening in January 2026.

Name

Zambrero

Legal name

US Zambrero Pty Ltd

Website

https://zambrero.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Zambrero is an Australian-founded Mexican-inspired fast-casual restaurant franchise operating over 230 locations across six countries, serving customizable burritos, bowls, tacos, and related items to health-conscious consumers while funding meal donations through its Plate 4 Plate initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick Service Restaurant (QSR)

akta.pro primary industry

Mexican & Tex-Mex Fast Casual (THAFABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mexican/Latin QSR (Tacos, Burritos, Bowls) (THAFAAAE)

Keywords

• Mexican restaurant chain
• Franchise quick service
• Healthy fast food
• Restaurant catering services
• Social impact dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food Sales: Revenue generated from direct food sales at company-owned and franchise restaurants through dine-in, takeaway, and delivery channels. Customers purchase burritos, bowls, tacos, nachos, quesadillas, and chips and salsa.
2. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Franchise partners pay fees to join the Zambrero network and ongoing royalties for the use of the brand, operating model, and support services. Multi-restaurant ownership is encouraged.
3. Catering Services: Corporate and event catering orders placed for groups of 10 or more, featuring burrito boxes and build-your-own bars. Delivery available at additional cost.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Zambrero operates a global franchise-based Mexican restaurant chain serving freshly-prepared, customizable burritos, bowls, tacos, nachos, quesadillas, and chips with salsa. The brand combines a quick-service dining experience with the Plate 4 Plate social mission, donating a meal to someone in need for every burrito or bowl purchased. It also offers catering services for groups of 10 or more and a multi-format franchise program (kiosk, strip, drive-thru).

Product overview

Zambrero is a Mexican fast food restaurant chain offering a unified menu of customizable burritos, bowls, tacos, nachos, quesadillas, and chips with salsa. The core products are freshly prepared with modern, superfood ingredients and offer dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly options. The company also operates an add-on catering service for groups of 10 or more, a franchise program with multiple restaurant formats (kiosk, strip, drive-thru), and the Plate 4 Plate humanitarian initiative that donates a meal for every burrito or bowl purchased. The restaurant chain operates over 230 locations globally across Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK, and Ireland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Plate 4 Plate: Social impact initiative where every burrito or bowl purchased results in a meal donated to someone in need through partnership with Rise Against Hunger

Products and services

• Burrito A 12-inch tortilla wrapped with choice of filling, black or white rice and beans, fresh salsas, toppings and sauces, sold to dine-in, takeaway, and delivery customers.
• Bowl A customizable bowl with choice of filling, rice and beans, fresh salsas, toppings, extras and sauces.
• Soft Tacos Soft flour tortillas filled with chosen protein, cheese, sour cream, salsas and lettuce.
• Hard Tacos Crunchy corn flour tacos filled with chosen protein, cheese, sour cream, salsas and romaine lettuce.
• Dos Capas A hard shell taco wrapped in a warm soft tortilla, combining textures in one item.
• Nachos Crispy corn chips topped with choice of filling, melted cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and vine-ripened tomato salsa.
• Quesadillas Toasted soft flour tortillas filled with chosen protein, vine-ripened tomato salsa and melted cheese.
• Chips & Salsa Crispy corn chips served with choice of tangy tomatillo or spicy chipotle salsa.
• Zambrero Catering Catering service for groups of 10 or more, offering burritos, bowls, and build-your-own bars with flexible options for corporate events, team lunches, meetings, and celebrations.
• Zambrero Franchise Franchise opportunity allowing individuals to own and operate Zambrero restaurants in multiple formats including kiosk, strip, and drive-thru, with multi-restaurant ownership encouraged.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 million meals donated to those in need through Plate 4 Plate initiative
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rise Against HungercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRise Against Hunger is Zambrero's international distribution partner for the Plate 4 Plate initiative. They package and distribute nutritious meals (rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables with vitamin mix) to communities facing food insecurity globally, primarily through school feeding programs. The partnership enables every burrito or bowl purchase to result in a meal donation to someone in need.
• Love Mercy FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three hunger relief partners distributing Plate 4 Plate meal donations to communities in need alongside Rise Against Hunger and Food Bank.
• Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three hunger relief partners distributing Plate 4 Plate meal donations to communities in need alongside Rise Against Hunger and Love Mercy Foundation.
• DoorDashminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partner enabling Zambrero customers to order delivery through the DoorDash platform.
• EZ CaterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatering platform partner enabling corporate and event catering orders through the EZ Cater marketplace.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Chipotle Mexican Grill: Global category leader in fresh, customizable Mexican fast-casual with a burrito/bowl/taco menu directly comparable to Zambrero's. A much larger, publicly listed incumbent whose digital, supply chain, and marketing capabilities set the competitive ceiling for the segment.
• Taco Bell: Global Mexican QSR incumbent owned by Yum! Brands with massive marketing and supply chain advantages. Sets the competitive floor on price and brand awareness in every market Zambrero enters.

Direct peers

• Qdoba Mexican Eats: Franchised Mexican QSR chain with a similar customizable burrito/bowl/taco menu, dine-in and digital ordering model, and a global footprint. Closest US-comparable franchised peer to Zambrero's system.
• Moe's Southwest Grill: US franchised Mexican QSR chain with burritos, bowls, tacos, and nachos. Operates a comparable franchise-led growth model and menu architecture to Zambrero, making it a direct franchise-system benchmark.
• Baja Fresh: US franchised Mexican fast-casual chain focused on fresh, flame-grilled burritos, tacos, and bowls. Comparable in menu positioning (fresh, premium ingredients) and franchise-led unit economics.
• Guzman y Gomez: Australian-founded Mexican QSR/quick-casual chain with a similar burrito-and-bowl menu and comparable focus on fresh, customizable ingredients. Most direct head-to-head competitor in Zambrero's home market with overlapping customer base and franchise model.
• Pancheros Mexican Grill: US franchise-based Mexican QSR specializing in pressed burritos, bowls, and tacos. Operates a similar franchise-led growth model and is comparable in scale and unit economics.
• Tortilla Mexican Grill: UK-focused Mexican QSR chain serving burritos, bowls, and tacos. The most direct UK competitor given Zambrero's stated UK expansion plans and Tortilla's established UK footprint.
• Mad Mex: Australian Mexican QSR chain serving burritos, tacos, and bowls through both company-owned and franchised restaurants. Highly comparable in menu, price point, and target demographic to Zambrero's core Australian operations.

Regional players

• Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill: Australian regional Mexican QSR chain with a comparable burrito/bowl/taco menu. A relevant Australian regional comparable for unit economics, although smaller in scale than Zambrero's national footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ZambreroUSA
• Instagraminstagram.com/zambrerousa
• Xx.com/zambrero

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zambrero