Dr. Sam Prince launches first Zam’s in Pensacola

Zambrero founder Dr. Sam Prince is opening the first Zam’s restaurant in Pensacola, Florida, with a soft opening July 15 and grand opening events planned through July. The new concept brings his Plate 4 Plate giving model and a broader, globally inspired menu to the Gulf Coast.

Why it matters: - Zam’s is the first U.S. launch of a new brand from the founder of Zambrero. - The Pensacola opening extends a restaurant model that pairs food service with meal donations through Plate 4 Plate. - The first location at 404 Brent Lane gives the brand a physical foothold on the Gulf Coast.

What happened: - Dr. Sam Prince is opening the first Zam’s restaurant in Pensacola, Florida. - The restaurant will open at 404 Brent Lane. - Zam’s plans a soft opening on July 15, with grand opening events scheduled throughout July. - Zam’s is a globally inspired, bowl-first restaurant concept from Zambrero founder Dr. Sam Prince.

The details: - Dr. Prince founded Zambrero in 2005 in Canberra, Australia, with AU$16,000 in savings while he was a 21-year-old medical student. - Zambrero started on a quiet street in Braddon, Canberra, after Prince saw a gap in Australia’s Mexican food market. - Zambrero grew from 20 restaurants in 2012 to more than 100 by 2015. - The brand earned a place on the BRW Fast 100 list four years in a row. - Zambrero now operates more than 350 restaurants across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States. - Through Plate 4 Plate, every regular or big burrito, bowl or Kids Zam Box purchased helps provide a meal to someone in need. - The Plate 4 Plate program has delivered more than 100 million meals worldwide. - Zam’s will offer custom, build-your-own bowls and burritos. - Zam’s will serve breakfast through dinner. - Zam’s will use fresh, real ingredients and continue the Plate 4 Plate commitment. - The company says Zam’s can explore flavors beyond Zambrero’s Mexican roots. - Zam’s says more information is available at the company’s website and on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok under @zams_usa.

Between the lines: - Pensacola was chosen because Dr. Prince saw a community that values trust, loyalty and new food options, similar to Canberra in Zambrero’s early days. - The launch suggests Zam’s is being positioned as a wider, more flexible concept than Zambrero, while keeping the parent brand’s social mission. - Dr. Prince is leaning on a proven origin story: a small-city launch, gradual trust-building and later international expansion.

What's next: - Zam’s will open to customers through the July 15 soft opening. - Grand opening events will follow during the rest of July. - The Pensacola store will serve as the first test of the Zam’s format in the U.S. - If the concept gains traction, the Gulf Coast opening could become the template for future Zam’s growth.

The bottom line: - Zam’s is bringing Zambrero’s purpose-driven playbook to a new, broader menu and a new market, starting in Pensacola.