Belchicken launches in the Netherlands: first location in Maastricht

The Belgian fast-food chain Belchicken is entering the Dutch market. The company will soon open its first restaurant in Maastricht, a major milestone according to CEO Fevzi Yildirim.

Joining the competition

The location is in a prominent spot on the Markt, in the former Hotel du Paradis. The building had been vacant for over ten years and is now being repurposed as a fast-food restaurant. Belchicken joins established chains like Burger King and KFC, which are already present on the square.

“The opening in Maastricht is the starting point of a larger growth story,” says CEO Fevzi Yildirim on LinkedIn. Under his leadership, Belchicken has grown in recent years into a chain with more than fifty restaurants in Belgium, Germany, France, and Portugal, among other countries. The focus is on scalable growth, process optimization, and clear positioning within the breaded chicken products segment.

Acceleration through franchising

The move to the Netherlands fits within that broader expansion strategy. The choice of a border city is also strategic: Belchicken can build on its brand recognition in Belgium while simultaneously entering a new market.

The rollout in the Netherlands is being carried out via a master franchise: the Dutch partner is currently working on further expansion plans and aims to open at least two additional locations this year. With this, Belchicken is once again opting for an “asset-light” growth model, in which local entrepreneurs are responsible for operational expansion.