Alice Pizza opens a franchise in San Donà di Piave

Alice Pizza is adding another location to its Italian network: on 22 October 2026, the Rome-based brand opens a franchised pizzeria at the Centro Piave shopping centre in San Donà di Piave, in the province of Venice. The outlet is run by Gianluca Ercolin, introduced by the brand as a new partner. The opening forms part of a growth strategy that gives franchisees a central role.

The new outlet at Centro Piave

The announcement concerns an opening with both a location and an operator already identified: Centro Piave is home to the new pizzeria, with franchisee Gianluca Ercolin responsible for running it. For the franchise sector, it is a concrete example of Alice Pizza’s expansion through new local partners.

The format is pizza al taglio — pizza sold by the slice — around which the brand, founded in Rome in 1989, has built its identity. The choice of a shopping centre is consistent with its stated expansion channels: alongside shopping centres, the plan includes retail parks and travel-related locations.

The opening in the Veneto region should be seen as one step in this process, rather than the completion of the national programme. The key point is the arrival of a new franchisee to run the outlet: the brand’s expansion also depends on selecting and supporting entrepreneurs who take on the management of its pizzerias.

A mixed network targeting 400 pizzerias

Figures for June 2026 show a network of 231 outlets, split almost equally between company-owned and franchised locations. Of these, 220 were in Italy, concentrated mainly around Rome and Milan, while the remaining 11 were spread across France, Spain, Malta, Hong Kong and the United States.

Network-wide turnover exceeded €115 million in 2025. It is important to distinguish between the reporting periods: this figure relates to the previous year’s trading, while the total of 231 pizzerias reflects the position in June 2026.

In early October, trade publication Food Service reported an update putting the network at around 240 outlets and identifying a business target of 400 locations. Franchising is cited as the main means of reaching that scale.

This is a planned target, not a tally of outlets already opened. The new San Donà di Piave pizzeria therefore sits between the network’s current size and its broader growth ambitions, with company-owned and franchised outlets remaining the two components of the model.

The ownership change announced in June

Commercial expansion is continuing as Alice Pizza also undergoes a change in ownership. The transaction announced in June provides for the transfer of 100% of the share capital to Made in Italy Fund II together with Capdesia Group, with Green Arrow Capital and the Giovannini family exiting the business.

The transaction announcement and the Centro Piave opening are separate developments. The former concerns ownership; the latter concerns the operational expansion of the network through a new partner. The individual opening should therefore not be interpreted as affecting the ownership transfer, nor should the announcement be treated as proof that the transaction has completed.

For those following the franchise sector, both developments help illustrate the brand’s current position: an announced change in shareholders alongside an expansion programme that continues to include opportunities for franchisees.

Training and support for prospective franchisees

On its dedicated franchising website, Alice Pizza describes a collaborative process with franchisees that includes training, support with opening and guidance through administrative procedures. These are the stated elements of its offering to potential partners.

The enquiry form asks applicants whether they already have experience in the restaurant sector, without setting out formal requirements. This does not, however, imply automatic acceptance: gathering information about an applicant’s background remains a separate step from developing an opening plan.

Practical takeaway: for anyone considering becoming a franchisee, the San Donà di Piave opening offers a case worth following. Before deciding, ask how training, administrative assistance and initial support would be tailored to your proposed location and business plan.