Studio F returns to Venezuela with franchise plans for seven stores

Studio F has announced its return to Venezuela through franchising, with investment exceeding US$2 million and a schedule of four store openings in 2026 and three more in 2027. For Colombia’s franchise sector, the announcement brings together two aspects of international expansion: building a retail network abroad and increasing exports from Colombia.

Four openings scheduled for 2026

According to a report published by Pulzo on 16 October 2026, the Colombian brand was due to begin trading that day at La Vela shopping centre on Margarita Island. The store will mark the start of a new phase in the brand’s retail presence in neighbouring Venezuela.

The remaining openings are scheduled for November and December, with stores in three other Venezuelan cities:

• Margarita: La Vela shopping centre, scheduled to open on 16 October.
• Maracaibo: Sambil shopping centre, scheduled to open on 5 November.
• Barquisimeto: Sambil shopping centre, scheduled to open on 19 November.
• Caracas: Cerro Verde shopping centre, with an announced opening date of 5 December.

The schedule therefore covers four locations in the final quarter of the year. These dates reflect the timetable announced for Studio F’s return and should be treated as planned openings, not confirmation that all the stores are already trading.

A network aiming to reach seven stores

The announced investment for the return exceeds US$2 million. The plan extends beyond the four stores scheduled for 2026: the company intends to add three more in 2027, bringing its Venezuelan network to seven outlets in just over a year.

The distinction between the two phases is important when assessing the scope of the announcement. Locations, shopping centres and opening dates have been announced for the first four stores. The remaining three form part of the growth plan for the following year.

The seven outlets are therefore a target for the new Venezuelan operation, rather than an established network. Delivery against the 2026 opening schedule will be the first measurable milestone in this expansion programme.

Franchising is the chosen model for the return. This makes the announcement part of a Colombian brand’s international expansion through a network of franchised stores, rather than simply a standalone overseas opening.

Colombian export projections for 2027

Studio F belongs to STF Group and links its return to Venezuela to its aim of strengthening exports from Colombia. According to the company’s projections, annual sales of Colombian products destined for the Venezuelan market could reach US$4 million from 2027.

This figure is a sales forecast, not an achieved result. It should not be confused with the investment of more than US$2 million announced for the return: one represents projected annual sales of Colombian products, while the other is the announced investment amount.

For Colombia’s franchise sector, this distinction highlights two related but separate aspects of the project: the expansion of the retail network and the flow of goods the company expects to supply from Colombia to Venezuela.

Venezuela within a regional strategy

The return to neighbouring Venezuela forms part of Studio F’s international expansion strategy through franchising. The company is also expanding into markets in Central America and the Caribbean to broaden its regional presence.

In Venezuela, the announcement provides a specific timetable against which to track that strategy: four planned openings in 2026, three more in 2027 and projected export sales from the latter year onwards.

Practical takeaway: when assessing this expansion, distinguish between announced stores, confirmed openings and commercial targets. Keeping these categories separate makes it possible to track the brand’s growth without presenting forecasts as results.