Zambrero taps Sumin Lohani as development agent for Southeast growth
He is also due to open a second restaurant in Basingstoke as a franchise partner.
Zambrero has appointed Sumin Lohani as a development agent to lead its expansion across the Southeast of England.
Lohani will oversee franchise recruitment in the three areas, with plans to open up to 30 restaurants by 2030.
Around 20 sites are expected in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with a further 10 in Berkshire.
The company says the rollout could create about 450 jobs.
The focus will be on larger towns and cities, targeting high-footfall locations such as high streets, shopping centres, retail parks, and university campuses.
Priority areas include Southampton, Portsmouth, Basingstoke, Winchester, Fareham, and Gosport in Hampshire; and Reading, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Windsor, and Wokingham in Berkshire, as well as sites across the Isle of Wight.
Lohani currently operates multiple Yo! Sushi franchises and owns The Compasses Inn in the New Forest.
He joined Zambrero as a franchise partner in 2025, taking over an existing site in Reading, and is due to open a second location in Basingstoke at the Festival Place Shopping Centre later in May.
In his new role, he will also support site acquisition, operations, marketing, and strategy in the region.
The appointment forms part of Zambrero’s wider plan to reach 100 UK locations by 2030 through franchising.
The chain, which launched in the UK in 2021, currently has 14 sites, with further openings planned, including St Paul’s and Basingstoke.
