Sinan Özel opens Kipperij store in Zwolle Stadshagen

Kipperij opened a new store in Stadshagen, a district of the Dutch city of Zwolle, on Wednesday 11 November 2026. Franchisee Sinan Özel runs the outlet. After months of preparation, he is bringing the franchise’s range of chicken dishes to the neighbourhood. The opening was celebrated with taster boxes for the first customers and a prize wheel.

From preparation to running his own store

For Özel, the opening marks the transition from preparation to running his own Kipperij store. According to a report published by De Nationale Franchise Gids, a Dutch franchise publication, on 12 November, several months of preparation preceded the launch. With the official opening, his new franchise business is now serving customers in Zwolle Stadshagen.

The expansion therefore has two sides: Kipperij adds a store to its network, while Özel starts operating it as a local business owner. This combination is particularly relevant to the Dutch franchise community. Behind this new location is a franchisee running his own business under the brand’s name.

The news concerns an actual opening, rather than an announced location or a future growth target. Since 11 November, customers have been able to visit the new store for Kipperij’s range of chicken dishes. The expansion into Zwolle Stadshagen is now a reality.

Taster boxes and a prize wheel at launch

The store ran two opening promotions. The first 50 customers received a Kipperij taster box. Customers spending €20 or more could also spin a prize wheel, with a prize guaranteed for every participant.

Each promotion worked differently. The taster box depended on when customers arrived: only the first 50 qualified. Eligibility for the prize wheel, by contrast, depended on how much customers spent. The opening thus combined an introduction to the product range with a promotion for customers spending at least €20.

De Nationale Franchise Gids reported that the store attracted customers from its first day. This reflects interest at launch. When assessing the business’s longer-term prospects, it is important to distinguish that initial interest from repeat visits.

An opening promotion gives customers a specific opportunity to discover a new business. The next question for the owner is how that interest develops afterwards. For fellow franchisees, the approach taken in Zwolle is therefore primarily a practical example of how to organise a store opening, rather than evidence of lasting commercial success.

A new location within the growth plans

Kipperij presents the Zwolle Stadshagen store as another step in expanding its franchise network. The new outlet fits its stated growth ambitions. At the same time, Kipperij is recruiting entrepreneurs who want to open their own stores as franchisees.

This combination also makes the opening relevant to people exploring franchising. The report shows a business actually launching alongside the opportunity to join the network. However, an opening and an invitation to become a franchisee convey different things: the former confirms that a store has started trading, while the latter invites prospective franchisees to explore the possibilities.

Candidates still need to assess their own plans independently. The Zwolle Stadshagen opening may prompt questions about the preparation process, the support available and how to introduce the business to local customers. Özel’s months of preparation provide a useful starting point for discussion, without implying that his experience will be the standard for every future franchisee.

Practical lessons for a store opening

For entrepreneurs in the franchise community, this opening primarily offers useful pointers for planning their own launch. Distinguish between pre-opening activities, launch-day promotions and the period that follows. In Zwolle Stadshagen, the preparation and the two customer promotions were clearly identifiable parts of the process.

Anyone considering a similar launch can decide in advance what each promotion should achieve and how to track the results. This might include introducing customers to the range, encouraging participation in the promotion and generating repeat visits later. These are distinct objectives, and each deserves its own assessment.

Practical lesson: treat a celebratory opening as a starting point, not an endpoint. Discuss both preparation and follow-up after the first customer contact with the franchisor.