Foodservice ManagementFranchise ManagementSupply Chain
Experienced General Manager and Business Development Executive Specializing in International Franchising and Food Service Operations Across Multiple Markets.
Thierry Rousset
ES đ MENA đ MIDEAST đ SOUTHAME đ EUROPE đ APAC 
Bio
Thierry Rousset is an accomplished General Manager and Business Development executive specializing in franchising and food service. With a trilingual background and extensive international experience, Thierry has been a driving force behind the success of various brands.
As the founder of QSR Consultant since November 2012, Thierry Rousset advises global franchisors on all aspects of their business, specializing in International Development, Franchise Relationships, Operations, Marketing, and Supply Chain management. At the same time, Thierry also owned the exclusive rights for Spain & Portugal to develop the French brand âLe Kiosque Ă Pizzas,â setting up its first international operations and opening 10 licensed and owned locations. His expertise includes restructuring French fast-casual concepts, crafting international development plans, and helping Spanish brands enter new markets. Thierry's work extends to serving as a franchise expert for the US Department of Commerce and finding investors for non-food Spanish brands.
From February 2020 to June 2021, Thierry was the General Manager at Avanza Food, overseeing the growth of a Dark Kitchen business and managing operations for 30 restaurants generating sales exceeding 25 million euros.
His international business development experience is highlighted by his role as General Manager International at Quick Group, where he played a crucial role in global brand expansion.
Thierry's career also includes significant roles at Subway and Burger King, demonstrating a hands-on approach as a multi-unit franchisee and Managing Director for Distrirest Ibérica.
With a solid educational background and fluency in French, English, and Spanish, Thierry Rousset is a seasoned professional in the global food service industry.
Experience
QSR Consultant
Advising and Supporting Franchisors in every aspect of their business including International Development, Franchisor/Franchisees Relationship, Operations, Marketing, Supply Chain, etc.
Executive Business Consultant
- Franchise Expert and regular speaker with the US Department of Commerce thru the Commercial Law Development Program with regular missions in Tunisia and Algeria,
- Owning the exclusive rights for Spain & Portugal to develop French brand âLe Kiosque Ă Pizzasâ. Structured the first international operations of the brand. Opened 10 licensed and owned locations,
- Restructuring and developing a new global brand strategy for a 50+ French fast casual restaurant concept and helped resolve numerous issues with franchisee,
- Creating a modeling tool to define specific development targets per country and as such support restaurant chains international growth plans,
- Drafting an international development strategy for a 40+ French restaurant chain,
- Board member of a Hungarian, publicly traded (Budapest Stock Exchange) restaurant group,
- Analyzing viability for a Spanish restaurant brand to enter the UK market thru Dark Kitchens,
- Identifying investor and sold the Master Franchise for France for a non-food Spanish brand.
Avanza Food
General Manger Dark Kitchen & Virtual Brands
- Built a Dark Kitchen business from 0 to over 100 units (Host Kitchen model) and created a portfolio of over 12 Virtual Brands in 10 months during pandemic.
General Manger Own Brands
- Sectors: Energy, Electrical and Technology. Managed a team of 20 technical proj
General Manger Dark Kitchen & Virtual Brands
- Built a Dark Kitchen business from 0 to over 100 units (Host Kitchen model) and created a portfolio of over 12 Virtual Brands in 10 months during pandemic.
General Manger Own Brands
- Operations, Marketing, Business Development and P&L for Equity and Franchised units, for 3 brands - 30 Restaurants - 200+ people - 25MâŹ+ Sales.
Quick Group
General Manager International
- In charge of growing the brand worldwide. Designed vision and built strategic planning for the international business.
- Developed 4 markets in 12 months,
- Signed a deal for a 100 stores development plan with an Abu Dhabi based group,
- Rewrote Master Franchise and development agreements,
- Launched leads generation plans in selected Asian, African, South American & European countries.
Burger King
General Manager
- Managed a region with 750 restaurants and 18 Franchisees (incl. the systemâs largest international franchisee) in 14 countries with system-wide sales of over US$780M,
- Successfully negotiated extension of a new 5-year development agreement for the MENA region,
- Significantly improved operational scores in Turkey,
- Resolved long lasting conflictive situation with Cyprus Master Franchisee,
- Negotiated contract for new country entry in South Africa.
Subway
General Manager
- 360 Restaurants, 130 Franchisees, 6 countries with system wide sales of over 150MâŹ,
- Managing brand development in one of the fastest growing market (France), going from 125 to 272 restaurants in about 2 years,
- Launching the first ever TV campaign resulting in comparable sales increase of +32%,
- Recruiting 6 new Development Agents,
- Successfully organized the two first ever French Franchisees convention fully self-funded with up to 400 participants.
Subway & Dunkin Donuts
Multi-unit Franchisee
- Owner and operator of 2 co-branded stores in Madrid, Spain. 500.000⏠sales. Increased sales by 40 to 80%. Sold the business with profit after 2 years.
Distrirest Ibérica
Managing Director
- Supply chain services provider to large international and local restaurant chains with annual sales of 30MâŹ.
- Successfully negotiated new contracts with Subway and Burger King.
- Increased sales by 36%. Reduced losses by 75%.
Keystone Foods Corporation
General Manager
- Managed the business through very rough economic times, foreign exchange control issues in a country with poor logistical infrastructures. Yearly sales of US$45M.
Distribution Manager
- Launch of operations in Colombia and Bolivia, setting up distribution centers in Bogota and La Paz in preparation for the opening of the first McDonaldâs restaurants in those countries.
- Analysis of current transport set up in Korea.
L.R Services
Distribution Center Manager
- Successfully managed 2 of the 3 McDonaldâs French distribution centers with a budget of US$ 20M with full P&L responsibility.
- Reorganized subcontracted transport and warehousing resulting in significant savings. Various assignments in Morocco, Israel and Malta.