Eataly’s operator in Brazil loses the right of use of the Italian brand

By compliance with a decision of the TJ-SP business court, Eataly’s operator in Brazil was forced to remove physical plates and brand content on the internet. The court understood, in the process, that the network franchise contract was terminated, which was born in Italy. It is up to appeal. THE Sheet had access to the decision.

All references to Eataly, including the sign on the facade of the store, were taken from the property installed in Vila Nova Conceição. The Instagram page of the Brazilian branch is unavailable.

In a statement, Eataly says that the right to use the brand in the country is in the process of arbitration and the case remains under confidentiality, without definitive decision so far. “The company reaffirms its commitment to fully comply with current legislation and respect the applicable judicial and arbitral determinations,” the text says.

The complex faces another problem. The owner of the property in Vila Nova Conceição, Caoa Patrimonial, filed a lawsuit to dump the brand, which would have debts of $ 50 million in rent. The court determined that the eviction should be done in January this year, but the current management was able to reverse the action.

In response, Eataly claims that it is in the process of judicial recovery “for the purpose of enabling the continuity of the mediation process with creditors, seeking the best solution for open credits.”

The address, part of an Italian network, was opened in 2015 and became a meeting place for gastronomy enthusiasts of the European country. Until 2021, he was operated by St. Marche in partnership with the Italian matrix.

In 2022, he was acquired by Southrock Capital – which also controlled Starbucks in Brazil. But in the pandemic, the address began to face financial problems. Southrock filed for judicial recovery and Eataly was acquired by the Wings Fund in 2023.

In November last year, the space underwent changes, such as the reopening of a cooking school after renovations and the change of restaurants. The new management still had plans to implement news, such as resuming services such as butcher’s.

“It is important to highlight that this process does not impact the company’s operations, nor does it interfere with the fulfillment of contractual obligations, regular payment flows or conditions previously agreed with partners and suppliers,” the statement says.