Myka opts for a master franchise in Colombia

Myka has chosen a master franchise model to develop its presence in Colombia. In an interview published by SEMANA on 6 November, Natalia Morales, co-founder of the Greek frozen yoghurt brand, explained that the plan has a nationwide scope and that selecting the local partner was one of the project’s key decisions.

An agreement with nationwide ambitions

For the franchising community, the key point is the structure chosen to support growth in Colombia. The company is pursuing a long-term relationship with a local partner, rather than presenting its arrival simply as a store opening. That relationship is tied to the aim of developing the brand in the country and understanding Colombian consumers.

As Morales explained to SEMANA, prospective partners expressed interest in bringing Myka to Colombia while the project was being prepared. Following that initial contact, choosing who would represent the brand became a particularly important part of the expansion process.

The nationwide ambition describes the direction of the agreement, but should not be confused with an established network across the country. The approach outlined by the co-founder emphasises building the operation with the chosen partner, without predicting results or assuming that consumers will respond in the same way as those in other markets.

Partner capabilities as a key criterion

Morales identified three decisive factors in selecting partners: experience, operational capability and commitment. The aim, she explained, is to ensure that the concept retains its identity as it moves into a new market.

This emphasis distinguishes the announcement from a simple statement of growth ambitions. For Myka, local representation is linked to the ability to deliver its concept consistently. The choice of partner therefore goes hand in hand with the choice of market.

For Colombia’s franchising community, this case highlights a practical question: who will be able to maintain the concept once operations begin? In Morales’s account, the criteria go beyond an interest in bringing the business to the country; they include the experience and commitment needed to preserve what makes it distinctive.

A concept born in Madrid in 2023

Myka was founded in Madrid in 2023 by Natalia Morales and Javier Ezquerro. Its starting point was to turn the experience of Greek yoghurt into a contemporary dessert concept. The brand seeks to stand out through the quality of its ingredients, the preparation of its toppings and the customer experience.

The combination of frozen yoghurt, olive oil and salt is part of the offering that gained visibility on social media and features in the SEMANA interview. However, the co-founder’s explanation places the concept beyond a striking serving suggestion: the product and its toppings are elements of an identity that the company wants to maintain as it expands.

That identity helps explain why the selection of its Colombian representative is so prominent. The expansion described by Morales is not simply about taking the Myka name to another country, but about preserving the food offering with which it launched in Spain.

Colombia’s place in the Latin American expansion

The move into Colombia marks a step towards Myka’s goal of expanding its presence in Latin America. For Morales, who is Mexican, it also has a personal dimension: bringing a brand built in Europe to the region.

Her approach also recognises that Colombia has its own culinary identity. Understanding local consumers therefore sits alongside the long-term relationship with the partner as part of the strategy. Experience in other countries is not presented as an automatic guarantee of acceptance.

The practical takeaway for anyone assessing a franchise opportunity is clear: alongside the product’s appeal, it is worth examining the partner’s operational capability, their commitment and the scope of the agreement. In Myka’s Colombian venture, these elements are central to the development plans announced.