Zambrero seeing great success in Bangkok and New Zealand
Hoping to replicate successful result at the Western hemisphere.
"[Our] international expansion continues – we are seeing great success in Bangkok and New Zealand – and have our sights sets on the US in early 2016," Karim Messih, General Manger of Zambrero told QSR Media.
The chain entered the Thailand and New Zealand markets last year, establishing a restaurant in Bangkok and five restaurants in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, on the home front, the chain is on track to reach 100 restaurants this year, opening it's 77th store location just recently. "Beyond this we aim to have 2100 restaurants by year 2021.. We’ll also be expanding our retail offering as we all continue to create innovative recipes that appeal to the health conscious."
He noted that for any QSR or business, keeping up with changing consumer trends is always challenging work.
"We’ve got a great team behind us, from our restaurant staff and franchisees, to staff in our head office and overseas, who have their fingers on the pulse on what trends are influencing the food industry. While it’s tempting to embrace all of them, we consider each one thoroughly to ensure they fit and can be adapted into the overall Zambrero brand, so that we can maintain great relationships with our existing customers as well as attract new customers looking for something different. "
Messih shared that the first half of 2015 has been action-packed with the brand launching its very first retail line, which includes wholesome muesli bars in 2 distinct flavours.
"Until now our aid efforts were focused overseas, but on learning that two million Australians now rely on food relief we’ve partnered with Foodbank Australia to do something about the hunger problem in our own backyard. As an extension of our Plate 4 Plate initiative (where for every burrito or bowl Zambrero sells it donates a meal to someone in need), for every muesli bar sold we donate a breakfast meal to an Australian in need."
Another major milestone for the brand in this first half was reaching 5 million meals donated through Plate 4 Plate.
CHARITABLE ROOTS
Messih added that Zambrero will continue its work with Stop Hunger Now and Foodbank, and work internally to further connect their staff with its Plate 4 Plate program.
In fact, last month, Messih and members of the Zambrero team travelled to Vietnam to see the brand's aid efforts in action.
"We travelled alongside our distribution partner Stop Hunger Now to visit schools and homes in the Da Nang region that are assisted by local organisation Children of Vietnam. It was so humbling and amazing to see how the work that Zambrero does here in Australia, selling Mexican food, can have such a direct impact to communities around the world. We visited a school for kids with special needs, and a home for the elderly, both of which receive meal packs from Stop Hunger Now," he recounted.
"This trip was also the first time a Zambrero restaurant staff member has joined us on the trip. Plate 4 Plate is part of our DNA and it’s important for us to share our passion and successes with everyone in the organisation. Selina, a restaurant manager from Zambrero Townsville was chosen from an internal staff incentive. It was important for us to share this experience not just with our head office staff but also with our restaurant staff."
Adding, "our Vision Trip to Vietnam was very inspiring and really affirms our purpose here at Zambrero, our Plate 4 Plate program is our very reason for being, and seeing how ours and our customers everyday efforts contribute on a truly global scale gives us motivation to keep working hard for this cause. "
