Sphera Franchise Group, the largest food service group in Romania, has opened its first Cioccolatitaliani store in the seaside resort of Riccione, in Italy’s Rimini tourist area.
This marks the official launch of Sphera Group’s development plan for the premium Italian brand of coffee, gelato, and pastry. Under the plan, it will open four locations annually in Italy over the next five years. The investment in the Riccione store amounts to approximately EUR 600,000.
The new Cioccolatitaliani location is expected to reach breakeven after about one year of operation and to generate annual sales of around EUR 750,000. This strong profitability potential is one of the reasons Sphera Group decided to include the brand in its portfolio.
Sphera acquired the franchise rights for Cioccolatitaliani from the Italian Gioia Group in the autumn of 2024 and plans to open 20 stores in the next five years, including expanding the brand to the Romanian market starting next year.
The newly opened store is located on one of Riccione’s busiest streets, has a surface area of approximately 90 sqm, and 30 outdoor seats.
The concept follows the classic Cioccolatitaliani format, featuring a menu centered on artisanal gelato, premium pastries, and a variety of coffee drinks. The unit operates from morning until midnight, in line with the area’s specifics.
“We are at a pivotal moment in the evolution of Sphera Group – the partnership with Gioia Group, a benchmark name in the gelato market, and the opening of the first Cioccolatitaliani unit represent an important step in diversifying our portfolio. We strategically chose Riccione for its excellent location, high visibility, and heavy tourist traffic during the summer season. It is the ideal place to test and refine the operational model, leveraging synergies between teams, infrastructure, and existing supply chains. The brand enables access to a new market segment and consumer base, and we are confident that Cioccolatitaliani will play a significant role in our growth strategy in the coming years,” Călin Ionescu, CEO of Sphera Franchise Group, said.
Founded in 2009 by the Ferrieri family, with over 40 years of experience in the pastry industry, the Cioccolatitaliani brand is known for its commitment to premium ingredients. Cioccolatitaliani’s product range includes a variety of items, such as artisanal gelato, chocolate bars, pralines, and other offerings. The brand also offers gourmet coffee beverages, freshly baked Italian pastries, pancakes, and waffles served with chocolate-flavored gelato and assorted toppings.
The Cioccolatitaliani network currently includes over 40 locations, primarily in Italy but also in the Balkans, the Middle East, and North Africa, confirming its international growth potential.
Gioia Group is a food retail umbrella company managing the Cioccolatitaliani and Bun Burgers brands. The group operates over 60 locations worldwide.
Sphera Franchise Group owns the companies that operate the KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell brands in a franchise system in Romania, as well as KFC in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, and in certain areas of Italy. The group owns over 175 restaurants in the three markets and employs approximately 5,000 people.
Sphera Franchise Group has been listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange since 2017. It is the only HoReCa company in Romania included in the main BET index, as well as FTSE Global Micro Cap and MSCI Frontier Markets.
(Photo: the company)
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