At the age of 30, entrepreneur Chirag Pandya has achieved a significant milestone by becoming England’s youngest McDonald’s franchisee, with the support of a substantial funding package from HSBC UK. Having successfully completed the McDonald’s franchise training program earlier this year, Pandya, who is the owner of CJP Group Operations, will now oversee operations at the McDonald’s restaurant located on Castle Bridge Road, Nottingham.
Utilizing the six-figure funding from HSBC UK, Pandya has acquired the 450 sqm site, which caters to an average of 1,600 customers daily. The restaurant, spread across two floors with a seating capacity of 150, also features a ‘drive thru’ and a 40-space car park. As the business continues to expand, Pandya plans to hire up to 50 new staff members in addition to the existing 120, and also aims to enhance its apprenticeship program to support the youth in the local community. Future plans for the business include a refurbishment to modernize the space.
For Pandya, this venture marks a significant career shift from his professional background as a pharmacist and later as a strategy consultant and director at PwC and the NHS, respectively. Expressing excitement about his new role, Pandya stated, “While I trained as a pharmacist, I knew I always wanted to own my own business. After completing the challenging, but rewarding, McDonalds franchise programme, I can finally say I’ve taken the leap from pharmacy to finance, to fries, and I’m loving it! I look forward to improving the restaurant and working with the local community to create more work experience opportunities for young people in the area.”
Judy Jenner, Relationship Manager at HSBC UK, expressed delight in supporting CJP Group Operations in its site acquisition. She highlighted the potential for CJP to expand apprenticeships and create more job opportunities in the area, emphasizing the positive impact on both the business and the local community it now serves.
