German Doner Kebab ‘aggressive’ N. American expansion plan

German Doner Kebab (GDK) has hired two personnels to its North American team as part of an “aggressive expansion” plan for the region.

Key among these appointments is Mark Treptow who comes in as director of franchise development alongside Robert Bray as operations director.

Bringing in Treptow is significant since he has franchised multiple restaurant concepts into large national and international brands including The Halal Guys.

Owned by Hero brands, GDK added to its three Canadian locations by opening its first US site in New Jersey’s American Dream Mall in 2021.

It now plans to open a further 10 in the US by the end of this year, which includes its first two in the Houston area as part of 15 over the next ten years, with five opening by 2025.

A franchisee has also signed to develop five restaurants in Dallas and its northern suburbs, while a New York franchisee has signed for 25 restaurants over 15 years, with six open by the end of 2022, which includes Midtown Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Astoria in Queens.