Çiğköftem

About Çiğköftem

Çiğköftem is a Turkish fast-food franchise specialising in vegan çiğ köfte, a traditional dish served cold. The brand belongs to EM Group, established in Istanbul in 1993 by brothers Erdoğan, Ahmet and Yavuz Güner. Initially supplying supermarkets, the business opened its first Çiğköftem restaurant in 2005 and expanded internationally with a Belgian branch in 2009. It now reports more than 400 restaurants worldwide, including two UK branches in Enfield and Haringey. Its menu also includes hot items such as kibbeh and falafel, delivered to stores ready for sale. The franchise offers compact high-street shops and shopping centre kiosks, with centrally supplied products and packaging. Çiğköftem does not charge an initial brand fee or turnover-based royalties. Partners receive location assessment and training before and after opening, with multi-site development encouraged once operators gain experience.

Why franchise with Çiğköftem

• ✓Join a Turkish vegan fast-food brand with more than 400 reported restaurants across global markets.
• ✓No initial franchise or brand fee and no ongoing royalty or percentage of sales turnover charged.
• ✓Open a compact high-street shop or shopping centre kiosk, with formats starting from just 9 sq m.
• ✓Receive ready-to-sell çiğ köfte and other prepared products through the established supply system.
• ✓Benefit from site suitability assessment and staff training before and after your store opens.
• ✓Build experience at your first branch before exploring additional locations under the brand.

Investment breakdown

Minimum investment	€30,000
Maximum investment	€50,000
Management service fee	0%
Agreement term	5 years

What's expected of a franchisee

Property requirements

Standard Çiğköftem stores require at least 40 sq m, comprising 20 sq m of sales space and 20 sq m for kitchen and storage. Shopping centre kiosks can start from 9 sq m. Shops should be on the ground floor, on a main street or connecting side street, with ceilings above 2.7 m and frontage of at least 3 m. The franchisor assesses each proposed location before approval. The average installation period is around 45 days, although property works and local permissions may affect timing.

Training and support

Çiğköftem assesses proposed premises and provides staff training for one week before opening and one week afterwards. Franchisees can purchase centrally prepared products and packaging from the company, reducing on-site preparation requirements. The franchisor supplies çiğ köfte ready for sale and hot-menu items such as kibbeh and falafel in a prepared form. Partners are encouraged to gain sufficient experience at their first branch before expanding to multiple sites.

Operational requirements

A standard Çiğköftem branch requires the franchisee plus at least three additional staff members. Operators manage customer service, hygiene, stock, staffing and daily sales while following brand procedures. Vegan çiğ köfte arrives ready to serve cold; prepared kibbeh and falafel are served hot. Products and packaging can be purchased from the franchisor. Standard shops need at least 40 sq m, while kiosks may be smaller. Typical opening hours have not been supplied.

Experience required

Çiğköftem welcomes franchisees able to run a customer-facing food business and supervise at least three staff members. Applicants need sufficient capital for the chosen format, premises and opening stock, and must secure a location approved by the franchisor. Previous food-service experience is not explicitly required in the supplied information. Operators seeking multiple branches are encouraged to build practical experience with their first store before expanding.