Italian franchising: €39 billion in turnover and employment up 12%

Italy’s franchising sector heads into the Milan exhibition with turnover of €39 billion and a 12% increase in employment. These figures come from the Assofranchising Italia 2026 Report, reported by Italian news agency ANSA on 30 September, ahead of the exhibition’s opening at Fiera Milano, where 121 brands from 15 countries are expected.

Employment growth alongside turnover

The news brings together two aspects of franchising: the economic value of the sector and employment trends. Reported turnover stands at €39 billion, while the 12% increase refers to the number of people employed. This is an important distinction: the percentage does not describe revenue growth and should not be applied to the overall turnover figure.

According to ANSA’s account, the report therefore points to a sector expanding in employment terms. For those tracking franchise network development, the figure draws attention to the people working in these businesses, as well as the commercial scale of the brands.

However, the available information does not break down employment growth by type of business, nor does it distinguish between the contribution of new openings and that of existing locations. It therefore cannot be used to attribute growth to a particular franchise model or category of products and services.

Milan: 121 brands expected at the exhibition

Alongside this economic snapshot comes a practical opportunity for franchise networks and prospective franchisees to meet. In its update published on 30 September 2026, ANSA Lombardia announced that the exhibition at Fiera Milano would open the following day. The stated opening date is therefore 1 October.

The advance figures indicate that 121 brands from 15 countries are expected. Their international origins give the event a cross-border dimension alongside the national picture presented in the report. These are expected attendance figures, however, not a final tally from the event.

Here, too, it is worth keeping the measures separate: the number of brands does not equate to the number of new networks entering Italy, planned openings or franchise agreements signed. The advance information provides neither commercial results from the event nor a list of participants from which announcements about individual companies could be drawn.

For the franchising sector, the exhibition thus offers an opportunity to complement national data with direct discussions about franchise opportunities, without confusing participation in a trade fair with a firm investment commitment.

How to interpret the figures without overstating them

The €39 billion figure describes the total turnover reported by the source, not the profitability of individual businesses. It cannot be used to calculate margins, investment payback periods or average outlet performance. Similarly, employment growth alone does not demonstrate that every network has increased its workforce.

The available ANSA summary also does not specify the comparison period for the 12% increase. The appropriate approach is therefore to report the increase and attribute it to the Assofranchising Italia 2026 Report, without adding a timeframe not explicitly stated in the extracts.

These caveats do not diminish the news; they define its scope. The aggregate picture highlights the economic weight and employment growth of Italy’s franchising sector. Assessing a business opportunity, by contrast, requires specific information about the network, the local market and the business to be launched.

From the national picture to questions for franchise networks

For prospective franchisees, the figures can provide a starting point for preparing meetings at the exhibition. Useful questions include what staffing the business requires, what training is provided and how start-up support is organised. Financial discussions should focus on costs, revenue assumptions and the viability of the individual location, rather than simply the national scale of franchising.

The presence of brands from several countries also raises a practical question: what support services and operational infrastructure are actually available to a franchisee in Italy?

Practical guidance: use the national figures to understand the market, and meetings to gather documentation you can verify. Growth across the sector provides the context; the decision to become a franchisee should rest on the evidence for the specific business opportunity.