La Patate aims to raise up to 1 million euros from the public

The Belgian fast-food chain La Patate, founded by content creator Average Rob, is launching a crowdlending campaign on Winwinner on September 9. The company aims to raise between 500,000 and 1 million euros to finance new locations. La Patate is aiming for at least twenty locations within four years.

Twenty locations in four years

La Patate currently has two locations—on De Keyserlei in Antwerp and on Tiensestraat in Leuven—but the company plans to open at least three additional locations in the near future. A location in Ostend is set to open by the fall break. No details have yet been announced regarding the other two locations.

La Patate intends to use the proceeds from the crowdlending campaign to further expand its network. The company aims to have at least twenty locations within four years. In the longer term, it does not rule out expansion beyond Belgium. “Pizza is from Italy, sushi is from Japan. Fries are from Belgium, and the world should know it. Our focus is now on Belgium, but eventually we’ll certainly look beyond that,” says Robert Van Impe, alias Average Rob.

“Engaging the community”

Average Rob says the crowdlending campaign is also intended to directly involve his supporters in the company. “This is the first concept where I can actively involve my community,” he says. After all, with this crowdlending initiative, La Patate is adding an extra source of funding alongside the capital and operational support provided by its existing partners.

In addition to Average Rob, La Patate is backed by entrepreneurs Gilles Mattelin and Jorn Vanysacker, the investment fund Green Park Investment Partners, and the hospitality group MTM. The latter operates ten restaurants in Ghent and supports the chain’s operational expansion.