Malik’s journey as the G La Dalle family joins QSRP

Hello Malik and welcome! Can you tell us about your professional journey so far? What led you to work in this industry?

I worked in the restaurant industry for 10 years. My journey began as a teenager when I joined G La Dalle as a student. Initially, I took on this crew job to support my studies, but I quickly progressed within the company, eventually becoming a restaurant manager and later a director. I found great satisfaction in the career growth opportunities I had.

At the same time, I was pursuing a business degree. After graduating, I joined a consulting firm as an IT consultant for two years. However, I found the work unfulfilling, I preferred being on the field, interacting with people, and seeing the direct impact of my efforts.

When Salim, the founder of G La Dalle, decided to expand the brand, he reached out to me. At that point, he had just opened the second restaurant and had a vision to franchise the business. Having worked in the first G La Dalle restaurant in Nanterre, I had maintained a strong connection with Salim even after transitioning into audit. He was like family to me. So, when he offered me the opportunity to be part of this exciting journey, I didn’t hesitate.

I officially joined G La Dalle in 2020. At the time, we were a small team of five people handling everything: development, operations, finance, and more. As we grew, we structured the company, hired more talent, and built an organization. I initially took on the role of Operations Director while also being involved in the brand’s marketing strategy.

When in 2024 G La Dalle partnered with QSRP, I transitioned into development—a major challenge, but one that I was excited to take on. Everyone trusted that I would be the right person to work on the brand’s next phase of expansion.

What do you like most about the work environment in G La Dalle?

There are two main things I appreciate. First, the family culture: G La Dalle is a family business, and I work closely with Salim, his sisters, and even my own brother. I know well all the people working here. This familiarity creates a warm, supportive work environment. I feel good coming to the office every day.

Second, I appreciate that we have a clear mission as a company. From the start, I have been involved in various aspects of the company, including marketing, operations, finance, and supply chain. But we always kept a clear mission in mind.

How would you describe your first four months with QSRP?

It has been a natural continuation of the work we were already doing. Over the past few years, we had been structuring and developing the brand, continuously implementing new processes. The partnership with QSRP has accelerated our growth, providing us with the means to scale faster and more efficiently. It has been a positive transition.

Coming from G La Dalle, what similarities have you noticed with QSRP way of working?

There are certainly new elements. QSRP operates with a more structured approach, so we now have more formal reporting and are accountable to new shareholders. In the past, decision-making was more direct and required fewer meetings. Now, we prepare more detailed presentations and formalize our processes, which has been beneficial. It gives us greater visibility into our operations and a more strategic outlook on the business.

Have you had the chance to work with colleagues from the Group and other brands?

I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with several teams, including the O’Tacos development team, as we now share a team for the development of both brands. I’ve worked with the Group digital team as they helped us launch our own mobile application. With the QSRP IT and BI Teams we worked on integrating our processes within the Group structure.

I have also worked with colleagues from all the other brands in France, as we are collectively engaged in various projects. In just a few months, I’ve had the chance to meet many talented people, which has been an enriching experience.

Looking ahead, how do you see your path with QSRP?

For the brand, this partnership is a big opportunity to achieve our ambitious goals. With QSRP’s support, we have the resources to realize this vision.

On a personal level, this is an incredible learning opportunity. I get to work with diverse teams, gain insights from different brands and cultures, and improve my English. I hope to improve my hard and soft skills by interacting with different perspectives and ways of working. I am learning new tools and constantly refining my approach to communication, finance, and business strategy. Every day presents an opportunity to grow.

All in all, the entire G La Dalle team, me included, is incredibly proud of this partnership. It is a testament to the hard work we have put in over the past four years. QSRP is a major player in Europe, managing multiple brands across different countries, so their decision to collaborate with us is a great source of pride. It validates our efforts and motivates us to keep pushing forward.