Global franchise success began in Canberra 20 years ago
100 million meals donated to those in need
Tracking towards 400 restaurants with plans solidified to reach 500
31 December 2025: When Dr Sam Prince opened a small Mexican restaurant at 29 Lonsdale Street, Braddon, Canberra 20 years ago today, the idea that a fast-casual food business could balance social impact with commercial success was met with deep scepticism.
At the time, few believed a purpose-led model could survive in a highly competitive sector, let alone scale.
Two decades on, that small Canberra start-up has grown into Zambrero - a global franchise business operating across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States - with over 300 restaurants worldwide and more than 100 million meals donated to people in need. Founded while Dr Prince was a medical student, Zambrero was built on the premise that doing good did not need to sit outside the commercial engine of a business.
The business now employs thousands of people globally through its franchise network and is tracking toward 400 restaurants in the near term, with plans solidified to reach 500 restaurants globally.
The 20-year anniversary coincides with Zambrero recently reaching its 100 millionth donated meal through its Plate 4 Plate initiative. Through its Plate 4 Plate program, Zambrero donates a meal to someone in need for every burrito or bowl purchased. To mark the milestone, the company undertook a nationwide giveaway of 100,000 burritos, with each burrito triggering another meal donation.
North Hobart franchise partner Sajeev Gopalakrishnan said the 20th anniversary and 100 million meals donated milestones reflected years of consistent support from the Tasmanian community.
“Coming from India, my wife and I have seen firsthand what it means to not have enough food. That’s why Plate 4 Plate resonated with us from the beginning - it’s about helping parents do the one thing that matters most, which is feeding their children. To know Tasmania alone has helped donate more than 4.3 million meals makes me incredibly proud. We started here with just a few stores, and the impact our local community has made over time has been enormous.”
The Mackay community has contributed more than 1.38 million meals to the Plate 4 Plate initiative through years of ongoing local support. Peter Quinn, who owns three Zambrero restaurants in Mackay: "Your understanding of the Plate 4 Plate initiative changes when you are on the ground watching those meals being delivered into primary schools and driving up attendance rates. The children come to school because they get a nourishing meal - which might be the only one they get that day - they are able to concentrate better and they have better educational outcomes which improves their long term prospects. It is a lot more than just donating a plate of food. And Zambrero's customers in Mackay have made a significant contribution to that by supporting us and this is our way of giving back to them and saying thank-you.''
Bhagirathsinh Jadeja has contributed 117,354 meal to the Plate 4 Plate initiative through his Zambrero restaurants in Brabham, Perth’s north-eastern suburbs, which has been operating for the past three years, and Karratha, which has been open for the past three months.
“Karratha, being a strong and close-knit mining community, is really excited to be participating in a initiative like this, where simply buying lunch whether it’s a bowl or a burrito - can help support people doing it tough, both locally and globally. Having grown up in a developing country, and through my life experiences both in Australia and overseas, I’ve seen firsthand how access to food can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. My wife is from Kenya, and together we’ve been fortunate to witness the strength and resilience of communities across different parts of the world. Food insecurity is a global issue, and Plate 4 Plate is a fantastic initiative that creates real, tangible impact by helping those in need, no matter where they are.”
Karim Messih traded his role as chief of executive of the company for a Zambrero franchise in 2020 and hasn't looked back. He now owns two restaurants in Cronulla and Sutherland, one at Majura Park in the ACT and has another about to open in the ACT. "The best thing about Plate 4 Plate is we don't ask for a donation, we just ask people to buy our food and we make a donation. Store by store it all adds up. I was fortunate enough to go on one of our first vision trips to Vietnam about five years ago and I actually watched as our food came off the trucks and was taken to the villages. Seeing the children's eyes light up as they ate the food was one of the best things I've seen in my life.''
Six Zambrero franchises owned by Scott Chapman (five on the Gold Coast and one on the Sunshine Coast) have contributed more than 1.24 million of those meals, a direct result of the support of the local coast communities. "The Plate 4 Plate initiative was one of the main reasons we decided to go for Zambrero. It's all about the fact that wew are able to offer great food to our customers and save lives at the same time which makes it so special. I went to Kenya last year and distributed meals to people in need and seeing Plate 4 Plate in action is an unforgettable experience, its great to see that what we do on a day to day basis is actually changing lives'' Mr Chapman said.
Vince Toohey, who operates three Zambrero restaurants in Cairns:“For every burrito or bowl we sell, a meal is donated to someone in need through Plate 4 Plate - so the community here hasn’t just been supporting our restaurants, they’ve been helping fight world hunger. To know Cairns alone has helped donate more than 1.39 million meals is something we’re incredibly proud of. It shows the impact everyday choices can have when a whole community gets behind a cause.”
Matt Nash who owns Zambrero restaurants in Lismore, Ballina, Murwillumbah and Tugun has seen the impact of Plate 4 Plate firsthand on a vision trip to Kenya. “I was stunned by the impact. As a new parent, seeing the smiles on healthy children and the difference it makes for families was incredibly heart-warming.”
Dominic Hole who has been a Zambrero franchisee for 13 years, with a restaurant in Geraldton and two in Perth: "The strength of Plate 4 Plate is it is so easy to make a difference. Buy a burrito or a bowl and you are donating a meal to a person in need and helping fight world hunger just by having lunch.''
Dr Prince said the 20 year milestone was less about celebration and more about evidence.
“When Zambrero started in Canberra, the idea that a food business could make a real difference while also succeeding commercially had very few believers,” he said.
“Twenty years on, reaching 100 million plates shows that the model works when it’s built properly. What began here has grown into a global franchise because customers and franchise partners backed the idea and proved it could scale.”
Zambrero CEO Daryl McCormack said the business’s longevity reflected the discipline applied to the business model.
“Zambrero didn’t grow because it was idealistic. It grew because the fundamentals stacked up,” he said.
“Purpose was embedded from the beginning, but it’s operational discipline, franchise economics and consistent execution that have allowed the business to scale from Canberra to multiple international markets and sustain that growth over 20 years.”
About us:
About Zambrero:
Zambrero is Feel Good Mex. A restaurant franchise serving fresh and Mexican-inspired food, with a humanitarian enterprise at its heart. Zambrero is committed to helping end world hunger through its Plate 4 Plate initiative, which donates a meal to someone in need with every burrito or bowl purchased.
Zambrero was founded in Canberra, Australia, in 2005 by Dr Sam Prince, who was a 21-year-old medical student at the time. He has grown the brand to be Australia’s largest Mexican group, with now over 300 restaurants across all Australian states and the globe in the US, United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand.
For more information, visit zambrero.com.au
About Plate 4 Plate:
Zambrero’s mission is to help end world hunger through its Plate 4 Plate initiative. With every regular burrito or bowl purchased, a meal is donated to someone in need through its partners at Rise Against Hunger, Love Mercy and Foodbank.
Since its inception, the company has donated over 100 million meals.
Visit zambrero.com.au/plate4plate
Contact details:
For media enquiries, please contact LJ Loch at [email protected] or 0488 038 555
