Sphera Franchise Group, the largest food service operator in Romania, is bringing a new Cioccolatitaliani to Parma. The artisanal chocolate and gelato brand, added to Sphera Franchise Group’s portfolio in 2024, is opening in the Parma Promenade shopping center, a unit in which the Group has invested approximately 500,000 euro. This is a new step in developing the brand in northern Italy, a market with a strong tradition in the field.
The new unit is situated in the Parma Promenade Shopping Center, at via Samuel Morse 14 A. Parma Promenade is an open-air shopping resort concept, resulting from the transformation of the former Parma Retail, which aims to become a regional destination combining shopping, restaurants, sports and leisure activities.
„At Parma Promenade, we reach customers who come for a full day of shopping, sports and relaxation, and aspire to be their go-to destination for a well-deserved sweet treat. A dessert or a coffee has long ceased to be just a product, it is a moment of respite that people seek in their free time and our presence in the food court allows us to be the natural choice when they decide to offer themselves this little reward”, stated Dan Ilie, General Manager, Cioccolatitaliani Italy.
Cioccolatitaliani is positioned in the food court area on the first floor and spans approximately 165 square meters, with 42 seats and access to the shared food court. The unit's team consists of 14 employees, and the offer remains faithful to the brand through artisanal gelato, premium pastry and coffee, all centered around chocolate made from Fino de Aroma cocoa. Operating hours are daily, between 10:00 and 23:00.
In the first semester of 2026, sales from Cioccolatitaliani restaurants reached 1.4 million lei, driven by the gradual development of the concept and network. In Q2 2026, the brand held a 0.3% share of the Group's sales, a level reflecting its early stage of development.
Founded in 2009 by the Ferrieri family, with over 40 years of experience in the pastry industry, the Cioccolatitaliani brand has distinguished itself through its commitment to premium ingredients, particularly Fino de Aroma cocoa, one of the rarest varieties in the world.
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About Sphera Franchise Group S.A.
Sphera Franchise Group is the largest group in the food service industry in Romania, owning the companies that operate the KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell franchise brands in Romania, as well as KFC in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, and in certain areas of Italy. It also operates the Cioccolatitaliani brand in Italy. Sphera Group has also acquired the franchise rights for opening Hard Rock Café restaurants in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, as well as for wagamama. The Group owns over 175 restaurants across the three markets and has approximately 5,000 employees. Sphera Franchise Group has been listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange since 2017, under the symbol SFG, being the only HoReCa company included in the extended BET-XT index, in BETPlus, as well as in the international MSCI Frontier Markets Small Cap indices.
