Former Coca-Cola Exec To Open Second Teriyaki Madness Franchise in Atlanta

After two decades working for Coca-Cola in trade marketing and franchising across the globe, Gonzalo de Aristegui was ready for his next business venture. His experience managing bottling operations in China and running a beverage development company gave him a deep understanding of operations, but it was a fellow school parent’s entrepreneurial vision that sparked his move into restaurant ownership.

That partnership led to purchasing an Italian restaurant seven years ago, and now, Gonzalo has turned his focus toward franchising — and more specifically, Teriyaki Madness (TMAD). After launching his first TMAD location in 2022, he’s now preparing to open his second restaurant in Atlanta, with long-term plans to grow even further.

1851 spoke with Artistegui to learn more about his background, his path to the brand and his plans for the future. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Gonzalo de Aristegui: I spent 20 years at Coca-Cola, working in trade and brand marketing and customer management. During my career, I served as CMO of Coke's largest franchise bottling operation in China. That role took me all over the world. Afterward, I started my own beverage development company, which I ran for several years.

A few years ago, a fellow parent at my kid’s school wanted to open a restaurant and was looking for a business partner. That got me thinking, and we ended up buying an Italian restaurant together. That was seven years ago, and since then, we’ve opened multiple locations. Now, I’m mainly focused on restaurants.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Aristegui: I started looking at franchising because I liked the idea of something structured instead of running an independent restaurant from scratch.

I met a franchise consultant at a franchise expo, and that’s how I found Teriyaki Madness. I went to Discovery Day with my son, and we both loved the food. The moment we tried it, we knew this was the right fit for us. We basically said yes right then and there.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Aristegui: Two things really stood out: the operational efficiency and the quality of the food. At our Italian restaurant, we deal with a ton of suppliers, which means handling multiple orders, a big menu and a lot of complexity. I wanted something streamlined — a business model that was proven and replicable. TMAD checked all those boxes. And if you’re going to run a restaurant, you need to believe in the product. I genuinely love TMAD’s food, and that makes it easy to stand behind it.

We opened our first location in 2022, and it’s doing really well. We just signed a lease for our second location, and we’re excited to keep growing.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Aristegui: Long-term, I’d love to become an Area Representative. I spend a lot of time learning, testing and improving operations, so I want to help new franchisees avoid the mistakes I made and benefit from what I’ve learned over the past two years.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Aristegui: My whole family is involved in my businesses in some way — whether it’s handling admin work or deliveries. As we keep growing, I want to get them even more involved in the business.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Aristegui: Make sure you have your loan or financials in place before you sign anything. If you don’t, you might end up rushing into decisions that aren’t ideal just because you need to move fast. It’s like buying a car — get pre-approved before you go to the dealership. It gives you peace of mind. Turnover is also a big challenge in the restaurant industry. If you treat your team well and create a good work environment, they’ll stay longer. Having multiple locations can also help with retention because you can offer more growth opportunities for employees.

ABOUT TERIYAKI MADNESS  

Teriyaki Madness is making big moves. The secret sauce lies in TMAD’s uncompromising support systems that allow new business owners to achieve success through their proprietary training and support programs with teams dedicated to each franchisee’s unique needs. More than 160 shops across three countries deliver big, heaping bowls of fresh, healthy, natural ingredients to their communities, creating a cult-like following with customers, employment opportunities for neighborhoods, and profitable margins for the franchisees. Backed by leading-edge technology including delivery and loyalty innovations and an all-star executive team, Teriyaki Madness’ focus is on providing profitable opportunities for TMAD franchisees by providing delicious, healthy food to communities. Visit franchise.teriyakimadness.com for single and multi-unit opportunities.