La Piadineria opens in Imperia, taking its Liguria network to 16

La Piadineria has opened its first restaurant in Imperia, bringing its total number of locations in Liguria, north-west Italy, to 16. The restaurant on Via Bonfante, in the city centre, opened on 13 October 2026. For those in the franchising sector, the opening also offers an opportunity to examine a growth model driven mainly by company-operated restaurants, with franchising remaining a selective option.

First Imperia location expands the chain’s presence in Liguria

The new restaurant marks the brand’s arrival in Imperia. Before this opening, the chain’s presence in western Liguria was limited to two locations in Savona. The Via Bonfante opening therefore extends the brand’s reach across the western part of the region.

The Ligurian network now comprises 16 restaurants. This regional figure should be distinguished from the national milestone: with this opening, La Piadineria now has more than 570 restaurants in Italy. The Italian total excludes its outlets in France and the United States.

This is therefore an actual opening, with a confirmed date and location, rather than simply an expansion announcement. The Imperia debut adds a new city to the network and provides a way to assess the brand’s expansion through its geographical coverage, as well as its total restaurant count.

An offering centred on piadina

Founded in Brescia in 1994, La Piadineria has built its offering around one core product: piadina, an Italian flatbread served with fillings. Customers can choose from more than 20 recipes or create their own combination.

This approach gives the offering a consistent identity across the cities where the brand operates. Rather than extending the menu across numerous product categories, the chain offers different combinations using the same base. Customisation sits alongside the brand’s set recipes.

For those examining business models in the franchising sector, this is a useful distinction: network size and recipe variety are two separate factors. The former describes geographical reach; the latter explains how the customer offering is structured. Neither, on its own, provides a basis for assessing an individual restaurant’s financial performance.

More than 90% of the network is directly operated

The most relevant aspect for a prospective franchisee is the network’s structure. More than 90% of La Piadineria’s restaurants are operated directly by the group. The brand’s growth is therefore based primarily on company-operated restaurants, although a franchise route remains available.

This distinction matters when interpreting new openings. The expansion of a chain that offers franchising does not necessarily mean its franchised network is growing. The Imperia debut demonstrates the brand’s growth, but should not automatically be presented as an independent business owner joining the network.

In this case, franchising is a selective route. Candidate selection also involves assessing the proposed trading location. For anyone considering the brand, its reputation is no substitute for discussing the specific opportunity: applicants need to establish whether their project and proposed premises meet the group’s criteria.

Investment from €270,000: understanding the starting figure

The stated investment required to become a franchisee starts at €270,000. The wording ‘starts at’ matters: it indicates a starting figure, not a quotation that applies to every opening.

Before drawing up a financial plan, a candidate should check which costs are included in that figure and what additional funding their project might require. Likewise, the proposed location should be assessed before reaching any conclusions about the business’s financial viability. These are practical checks to undertake in discussions with the brand, rather than inferring final costs or potential returns solely from the chain’s size.

Practical takeaway: the Imperia opening confirms La Piadineria’s growing geographical reach, but anyone considering a franchise should start with three separate considerations: the predominance of company-operated restaurants, location selection and an initial investment figure that requires further discussion with the group.