Makizoku opens third restaurant with young franchisees

Walloon sushi franchise Makizoku opened its third restaurant on 10 October 2026 in Jambes, near Namur, Belgium. Franchisees Marvin Pierre (21) and Angel Marchal (20) are running the business. Their branch on chaussée de Liège differs from the existing locations by offering dining in, all-day opening and its own delivery service.

From hospitality training to running a franchise

Marvin Pierre and his partner Angel Marchal come from Gembloux and trained at the hotel school in Namur. According to a report published by L’Express Franchise on 16 October, drawing on regional news outlet Sudinfo, the young couple run the new restaurant as franchisees.

For Pierre, Makizoku is a familiar business. He previously worked as a manager within the network, where he learnt that the brand also offered franchise opportunities. The move to Jambes therefore marks his transition from managing a restaurant within the network to running his own branch under the same name.

That background gives this opening a distinctive character within Belgium’s franchise community. It is not simply another location for a restaurant brand, but also a venture by two young, hospitality-trained entrepreneurs who have chosen an established concept. Their age stands out, while Pierre’s previous role shows that he already had experience within the network before becoming a franchisee.

A broader restaurant offering in Jambes

Before the Jambes opening, Makizoku had two branches: one in Gembloux, in Namur province, and one in Perwez, in Walloon Brabant. Both operate as takeaways with two service periods a day. The new branch retains the sushi concept but takes a different operational approach.

In Jambes, customers can also eat in. The restaurant offers its own delivery service too, combining several ways of serving customers rather than relying solely on takeaway orders. The dining area is the most visible difference from the two existing branches.

Opening hours also differ. The Jambes restaurant is open every day from 11am to 10pm, without an afternoon closure. While Gembloux and Perwez operate two separate service periods, the young entrepreneurs have chosen continuous opening, seven days a week.

This distinction is particularly relevant to prospective franchisees. Sharing a brand name does not mean that every branch offers exactly the same services or opening hours. Anyone comparing outlets within a franchise network should therefore look beyond the menu to how each restaurant actually operates.

A small network with three locations in Wallonia

With the addition of Jambes, Makizoku now has three restaurants across the provinces of Namur and Walloon Brabant. It remains a small network. The opening nevertheless shows that the concept is expanding beyond its original location in Gembloux, with independent franchisees running the new branch.

The significance of this opening lies chiefly in that combination: network expansion alongside an adapted restaurant format. Jambes is not simply a third takeaway outlet. Dining in and all-day opening make it a different version of the concept.

For Belgium’s franchise community, this is a tangible example of entrepreneurship within a young, small restaurant network. However, a network’s size alone says nothing about the financial performance of an individual branch. Prospective franchisees need to assess the business model and the terms applicable to their own location separately.

Disclosure rules also apply to small networks

A network’s small size does not alter Belgium’s pre-contractual disclosure rules for franchising. Title 2 of Book X of the Belgian Code of Economic Law requires the franchisor to provide the prospective franchisee with a draft agreement and a pre-contractual disclosure document at least one month before signing. No payment may be requested during that period.

Practical takeaway: if you are considering a restaurant franchise, compare not only brands but also each branch’s takeaway service, dine-in facilities, delivery arrangements and opening hours. Use the pre-contractual period to clarify which operating format and contractual terms will apply to your own business.