Frites Atelier
Frites Atelier is a premium fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2016 by Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman, operating five owned locations across Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK, and monetizing through owned restaurants, franchising via Giraudi Group, and wholesale distribution.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Frites Atelier does
Frites Atelier is a premium fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2016 by three-Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman in partnership with LambWeston. The company operates five owned Atelier locations across Belgium (Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent), the Netherlands (Roosendaal), and the United Kingdom (London Soho), with corporate headquarters in Amsterdam under Dutch law. Its core product is a signature frites recipe developed through approximately two years of potato selection and process R&D with LambWeston, complemented by a portfolio of over 50 seasonal Frites Specials, handcrafted sauces, gourmet croquettes (shrimp, cheese, beef), specialty burgers, and a beverage program featuring Belgian beers and wines.
The business monetizes through three distinct channels: (1) direct consumer sales at owned Atelier restaurant locations on a walk-in service model with no reservation required for most groups; (2) franchise royalties and fees, with Giraudi Group serving as global master franchiser since November 2025 to accelerate international expansion; and (3) wholesale distribution of signature frites to restaurants and hotels through food service partners including Sligro, Bidfood, Classic Fine Foods, Nice to Meat, BenFoods, and Giraudi Meats. The company pursues twice-yearly seasonal menu refreshes (SS24, FW24/25, SS25), high-profile event activations (World Economic Forum Davos with Stella Artois, European Open ATP tennis), and brand storytelling through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, revenue figures, or headcount. Its competitive position is anchored by Sergio Herman's culinary reputation, the proprietary frites recipe developed with LambWeston, and the November 2025 master franchise partnership with Giraudi Group, which brings 20+ years of international hospitality expansion experience (Beefbar, Le Petit Beefbar, Song Qi) to the brand's global rollout strategy.
Frites Atelier firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Frites Atelier
- Legal name
- Frites Atelier
- Website
- https://fritesatelier.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Frites Atelier is a premium fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2016 by Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman, operating five owned locations across Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK, and monetizing through owned restaurants, franchising via Giraudi Group, and wholesale distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Frites Atelier industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Fast-Casual Restaurant
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Farm-to-Table & Contemporary American Restaurants (THAFACAF)
Keywords
Where Frites Atelier is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Frites Atelier business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Owned Restaurant Operations: Direct revenue from owned Atelier restaurant locations where customers purchase frites, sauces, burgers, croquettes, and beverages on a walk-in basis.
- Franchise Fees: Revenue from franchise partners who pay for access to the Frites Atelier brand, operational system, culinary expertise, and marketing support to open franchised locations.
- Wholesale Product Sales: Revenue from selling signature frites and potentially related products to restaurants and hotels through wholesale distributor partners including Sligro, Bidfood, and others.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Restaurant dining — walk-in service at all Atelier locations |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Frites Atelier product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Frites Atelier operates premium fast-casual restaurant locations ("Ateliers") serving a proprietary signature frites recipe developed by three-Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman in collaboration with LambWeston, accompanied by over 50 seasonal Frites Specials, handcrafted croquettes, house-made sauces, specialty burgers, and beverages. The company also distributes its signature frites wholesale to restaurants and hotels through food service partners and offers a global franchise program managed by Giraudi Group as master franchiser.
Product overview
Frites Atelier is a premium fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2016 by three-Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman in partnership with Lamb Weston. The core offering centers on Signature Frites—their flagship golden crispy French fries developed through years of collaboration—served with an array of gourmet toppings called Frites Specials (50+ rotating seasonal varieties). The product portfolio extends to complementary offerings including handcrafted Crispy Croquettes (shrimp, cheese, beef), a Snack Collection featuring specialty burgers, and Signature Sauces made in small batches. The company operates full-service Atelier locations in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, London, and Roosendaal, while also pursuing growth through a Franchise Program (with Giraudi Group as global master franchiser) and a Wholesale Program enabling restaurants to serve Frites Atelier frites. This is a unified culinary concept combining artisanal food quality with luxury dining atmosphere, not a software platform with modules.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Signature Frites Premium golden, crispy French fries crafted from a dedicated potato cultivar with an innovative coating, developed through nearly two years of collaboration between three-Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman and LambWeston. The flagship product representing the 'best frites in the world' concept, fried in a blend of rapeseed, corn, and sunflower oil and naturally gluten-free.
- Frites Specials Gourmet frites topped with luxurious ingredients and creative toppings, curated by Sergio Herman, featuring over 50 seasonal specials such as Korean Chicken Burger, Flemish Beef Stew, Spicy Royal Rendang, Veggie Chili Con Queso, Veggie Alla Norma, Yakitori Chicken, Frites Moules Mariné, and Caesar Special.
- Crispy Croquettes Handcrafted croquettes including Shrimp Royale Croquette (made with North Sea shrimp), Creamy Cheese Croquette (Swiss Gruyère, Italian Parmesan, aged Cheddar), and Beef Bite Croquette (slow-cooked shoulder cuts in oxtail broth).
- Signature Sauces House-made sauces prepared in small batches without artificial additives, including Classic Mayo, Truffle, Andalouse, Bearnaise, Basil Mayo, The Chef's Ketchup (vegan), Tartar, and Piccalilly, served in specially crafted ceramic sauce pots.
- Snack Collection Savory selection including burgers (Cheddar Cheese Burger, Very Veggie Burger, Korean Chicken Burger, Classic Chicken Burger), Chicken Chunks, and Classic Hotdog featuring crispy frites toppings.
- Beverages Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks including Belgian beers (Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Karmeliet), wines (white, red, rosé, Prosecco, Veuve Clicquot champagne), cocktails (Aperol Spritz, Margaritas, Gin Tonic), and non-alcoholic options (homemade iced teas, soft drinks, mineral water).
- Wholesale Program B2B program making Frites Atelier signature frites available for purchase through select wholesalers (Sligro, Bidfood, Classic Fine Foods, Nice to Meat, BenFoods, Giraudi Meats) for restaurants and businesses, bringing the premium frites experience to other hospitality venues. Application process requires business registration and product capacity confirmation.
- Franchise Program Global franchise opportunity partnering with entrepreneurs and hospitality investors to open Frites Atelier locations internationally, with full operational support, marketing assistance, and access to Sergio Herman's culinary expertise, managed by Giraudi Group as master franchiser.
- Atelier Restaurant Dining Locations Full-service restaurant locations in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent (Belgium), London (UK), and Roosendaal (Netherlands), offering the complete Frites Atelier gourmet dining experience with walk-in service (no reservation required for groups under 10).
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 50 unique Frites Specials created since founding
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Frites Atelier
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Frites Atelier technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Frites Atelier partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Giraudi GroupcoreGiraudi Group serves as the global master franchise partner for Frites Atelier, overseeing international expansion and helping the brand reach new audiences while maintaining quality and creativity. The partnership brings together Giraudi's 20+ years of hospitality experience with Frites Atelier's culinary concept. Riccardo Giraudi has transformed Giraudi Group into a global name in hospitality with concepts like Beefbar, Le Petit Beefbar, and Song Qi.
- Stella ArtoisminorPartnership with Stella Artois for Frites for Peace initiative at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, where Frites Atelier served frites at Belgium House. The partnership aims to make waves at high-profile events, with more occasions planned for 2024's calendar.
- European Open (ATP Tennis Tournament)minorFrites Atelier participated in the European Open ATP tennis matches at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp. Tennis stars Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Arthur Fils visited the Frites Atelier location. The event promoted Antwerp as host city and featured a competition where Arthur Fils was awarded gold for best Frites Atelier special.
- LambWestoncoreLambWeston, the world's best potato producer, collaborated with Sergio Herman to develop the proprietary Frites Atelier frites recipe. After almost two years of research between the kitchen and the fields to find the perfect potato, the partnership created a unique product with an innovative coating and unmatched crispy golden texture.
- Sergio HermancoreThree-Michelin-starred chef and visionary creator of the Frites Atelier concept. Sergio Herman developed the frites recipe over nearly two years and continues to create new seasonal specials from his private kitchen in Antwerp. His Michelin-starred reputation provides significant brand credibility.
- SligrominorWholesale distributor partner making Frites Atelier signature frites available to restaurants and businesses across the food service market.
- BidfoodminorWholesale distributor partner making Frites Atelier products available to professional food service operators.
- Classic Fine FoodsminorWholesale partner distributing Frites Atelier products to restaurants and hospitality venues.
- Nice to MeatminorWholesale partner distributing Frites Atelier products.
- BenFoodsminorWholesale partner distributing Frites Atelier products.
- Giraudi MeatsminorWholesale partner distributing Frites Atelier products as part of the broader Giraudi Group ecosystem.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Frites Atelier competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Honest Burgers: UK-based premium burger chain with a strong fries program and London Soho presence — overlapping directly with Frites Atelier's first UK location at Old Compton Street in targeting the same London diner segment.
- LEON: Premium fast-casual chain with multiple London locations serving natural, chef-inspired comfort food. Comparable in brand positioning (premium casual, design-led interiors), walk-in service model, and UK urban footprint.
- Shake Shack: Premium fast-casual chain with elevated positioning around a single hero product (burgers, with fries as a key secondary item). Comparable in customer targeting (urban, design-conscious, willing to pay premium), location strategy (flagship city sites), and multi-channel growth (owned + licensed + retail grocery).
- Five Guys: Global premium fast-casual burger-and-fries chain competing for the same upscale-casual diner willing to pay more for higher-quality fries. Operates a multi-channel model (owned + franchise) analogous to Frites Atelier's expanding structure.
- Byron: UK premium burger chain with strong London presence and a comparable upscale-casual positioning. Competes for the same Soho and West End diner that Frites Atelier targets at its 34 Old Compton Street location.
- Manneken Pis: Belgian frites chain with multiple Brussels locations serving traditional and gourmet fries. Direct competitor in the same Belgian frites category and the same urban Belgian market that is Frites Atelier's home base.
Broad incumbents
- Wagamama: Established UK-based casual dining chain with comparable premium-casual positioning, urban city-center locations, and a chef-credibility-driven brand identity. Overlaps with Frites Atelier in the target diner and London real estate, though operating in a broader (Asian-inspired) menu category.
Others
- Beefbar: Giraudi Group's flagship concept now sitting alongside Frites Atelier in the same parent portfolio. Not a direct competitor, but the most operationally comparable concept for assessing how Giraudi scales international hospitality brands globally.
Regional players
- Vlaams Friteshuis Van Beuningen: Iconic Amsterdam frites shop competing with Frites Atelier's Amsterdam-area customers. Highly comparable product category (premium Belgian-style frites) but operates only in Amsterdam, not in the broader Benelux footprint Frites Atelier targets.
- Pommes Frites: Amsterdam-based gourmet frites concept with multiple locations. Directly comparable product (premium loaded fries) and regional overlap, though operating at a less premium positioning and without Frites Atelier's chef-credibility layer.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Frites Atelier social profiles
Digital presenceFrites Atelier financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Frites Atelier leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Frites Atelier funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frites Atelier M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Frites Atelier
What does Frites Atelier do?
Frites Atelier operates premium fast-casual restaurant locations ("Ateliers") serving a proprietary signature frites recipe developed by three-Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman in collaboration with LambWeston, accompanied by over 50 seasonal Frites Specials, handcrafted croquettes, house-made sauces, specialty burgers, and beverages. The company also distributes its signature frites wholesale to restaurants and hotels through food service partners and offers a global franchise program managed by Giraudi Group as master franchiser.
Is Frites Atelier a public or private company?
Frites Atelier is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Frites Atelier founded?
Frites Atelier was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Frites Atelier based?
Frites Atelier is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Frites Atelier make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Owned Restaurant Operations are the primary driver. The others are franchise Fees and wholesale Product Sales.
Who are Frites Atelier's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Honest Burgers, LEON, Shake Shack, Five Guys, Byron and Manneken Pis. Wagamama is listed as a broad incumbent. Beefbar is listed as an others. Regional players are Vlaams Friteshuis Van Beuningen and Pommes Frites.
Does Frites Atelier have an API?
No public API is recorded for Frites Atelier.
What industry is Frites Atelier in?
Frites Atelier's product category is Premium Fast-Casual Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAF, Farm-to-Table & Contemporary American Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 2090.