Doppio Malto: €5 million to support 60 new openings by 2029

Doppio Malto aims to strengthen its network with €5 million in funding from Azimut. The deal, reported by Il Sole 24 ORE on 16 October 2026, supports a plan targeting 60 new openings by 2029, across company-owned and franchised restaurants. For those interested in the Italian franchise market, the news highlights the relationship between funding, network expansion and the production supply chain.

Funding to support the business plan

The funding is a private debt transaction intended to support the business plan of Doppio Malto, a FoodBrand group brand operating in the restaurant and craft beer sectors. It is therefore not an announcement that Azimut is taking an equity stake in the company, but a form of financing to support growth.

The transaction was structured and jointly funded by two investment vehicles managed by the Azimut group: the Azimut Diversified Corporate Credit fund, also known as ADCC, and the Azimut Agrifood Mezzogiorno fund.

According to the statement cited by the newspaper, the investment forms part of Azimut’s strategy of channelling capital into the real economy. In Doppio Malto’s case, the link is tangible: the funding supports the expansion of a restaurant network that also has its own production facility.

The announced sum should be understood as support for the overall plan. It does not indicate the cost of individual openings or the investment required from a prospective franchisee. These are separate figures and cannot be calculated by dividing the funding by the number of planned new restaurants.

A network of 66 restaurants, including 26 franchises

Doppio Malto currently has 66 restaurants across Italy and France. Of these, 40 are company-owned and 26 operate as franchises. Franchising is therefore already an established part of the network, alongside a larger number of directly operated restaurants.

The new plan retains this dual approach to expansion: the target of 60 new openings by 2029 includes both company-operated and franchised restaurants. This distinction matters when interpreting the news: the target does not equate to 60 new franchise opportunities.

The geographical scope also requires care. The figure of 66 restaurants describes the brand’s current presence in the two countries, while the growth target concerns the network as a whole. It should not therefore be presented as an announcement of 60 openings exclusively in Italy.

For those tracking restaurant brands’ expansion, the key point is the continuation of this mixed model. The brand intends to grow using both formats already established within its business, rather than relying entirely on one operating model.

The Iglesias brewery’s role in the growth project

Alongside its restaurants, Doppio Malto owns a brewery in Iglesias, Sardinia. Il Sole 24 ORE describes a business with control over its entire supply chain and also links the financing deal to strengthening its Sardinian production chain.

This makes the news more than a straightforward announcement of new restaurant openings. The project involves both a restaurant network and an in-house production base: two elements that should be considered together when assessing the brand’s growth.

For those considering a franchise, in-house production raises practical questions worth exploring. A prospective franchisee can ask how supplies are organised, what purchasing obligations apply and how distribution to restaurants is coordinated. These operational checks are separate from the size of the announced funding, but useful for understanding how the network works.

What to assess before becoming a franchisee

The target of 60 openings remains an objective of the business plan, not an achievement already secured. The funding is a step towards that goal; progress will need to be assessed through the openings actually delivered and their split between company-operated and franchised restaurants.

For a prospective franchisee, the news may be a reason to explore the opportunity further, rather than a ready-made financial assessment. The initial investment, contractual terms, location, operating costs and support services offered by the network still need to be examined.

Practical guidance: always distinguish the brand’s growth plan from the financial viability of an individual restaurant. The announced €5 million supports Doppio Malto’s expansion; deciding whether to become a franchisee requires a financial plan specific to the proposed restaurant and its local market.