Domino’s duo expands from Driebergen to Nijkerk

Laurian and Wilco have owned two Domino’s branches since 28 September 2026. After starting out in Driebergen on 1 September 2025, the franchisees also took over the Nijkerk branch. The expansion came once their first business could operate sufficiently independently, partly thanks to staff progressing into management roles.

From student jobs to owning a branch

The entrepreneurs started at Domino’s with part-time jobs while studying. Those jobs laid the foundations for careers that eventually led to franchise ownership. After a few years at Domino’s Barneveld, Wilco suggested exploring whether running their own business within the franchise network would suit them. Laurian was also open to the idea.

Discussions with franchisee Ben de Wit helped them explore their options. They then decided to take the plunge. Through De Wit, they were introduced to Peter Steenbergen, who was then the franchise partner at Domino’s Driebergen. He was willing to sell his branch, giving the duo the opportunity to start their own business.

Rather than opening a new location, they therefore took over an existing business. Laurian and Wilco began in Driebergen on 1 September 2025. Their experience as employees took on a new dimension: they were now responsible for the branch themselves.

The path to that first acquisition also illustrates the role of contacts within the franchise community. A conversation with a franchisee they knew led to an introduction to an owner looking to sell. For Laurian and Wilco, that connection provided a practical route into business ownership.

Building up Driebergen first

The early period in Driebergen was demanding. Staffing levels were low when they started, so the owners had to work hard. Taking over the business did not immediately leave them free to consider another branch. First, day-to-day operations in Driebergen needed their attention.

From 2026 onwards, the branch grew strongly, according to a profile published by Franchise+ on 28 October. Customers noticed that the business was well run and returned regularly. The account offers a qualitative picture of its progress: a difficult initial staffing situation was followed by a period of growth and repeat custom.

There was also an important change within the team. Several employees developed into managers. That progress would later prove essential to expansion. The question was not simply whether the owners wanted a second business, but whether the first branch could operate sufficiently independently once their attention was divided between two locations.

Nijkerk comes back into view

The opportunity to expand came through Domino’s Development, which contacted Laurian and Wilco to ask whether they were interested in taking over the Nijkerk branch. The town was already familiar to them: Nijkerk had been on their list before, but had seemed out of reach at the time.

The offer matched their ambition to run multiple branches. First, however, they needed to establish whether Driebergen was ready for that next step. The first business’s ability to operate independently was decisive. With employees now able to take on management responsibilities, the owners had the capacity to take over Nijkerk as well.

Laurian and Wilco have owned both branches since 28 September 2026. Just over a year separated their start in Driebergen from their expansion into Nijkerk. The second acquisition built on what they had developed at their first branch: a team capable of taking on more responsibility.

Growth ambitions built on the team

Owning two branches has not exhausted Laurian and Wilco’s ambitions. They want to grow further. For now, their expansion consists of bringing Driebergen and Nijkerk together, with staff development having made that step possible.

For the Dutch franchise community, their story highlights the link between staff development and business growth. An acquisition offer brought the second location into view, but they could only add it once the first business had the organisational capacity to support the move.

Practical takeaway: anyone considering a second franchise branch would do well to assess first whether their existing location can operate sufficiently independently. In this case, employees progressing into more senior roles made the difference between an ambition to grow and an actual acquisition.