Teu Frango opens in Setúbal with franchising ambitions

Teu Frango opened its first Portuguese restaurant in Setúbal in September and aims to grow through franchising. The project is led by Brazilian entrepreneur Fabrício Choupina, who is currently focused on establishing the restaurant and further developing its menu before opening additional locations in Portugal.

Setúbal welcomes the first Portuguese restaurant

The opening was covered in a report by New in Setúbal, published on 8 November 2026. The new restaurant specialises in spit-roasted chicken, with an offering that the publication links to nostalgic, traditional flavours. The report also highlights the potatoes served alongside the chicken.

Setúbal is the Portuguese entry point for a brand with three locations in the interior of Brazil’s São Paulo state. The Portuguese restaurant therefore marks the arrival in a new market of a concept already established in the founder’s home country.

Fabrício Choupina is 38 and comes from Ribeirão Preto, in inland São Paulo state. According to the report, he already had experience in the restaurant sector and decided to bring a chicken-focused concept to Portugal. That specialisation defines the offering at the new Setúbal restaurant.

The news brings together two distinct stages of the project: an opening that has already taken place and plans for future growth. The first Portuguese restaurant is trading; development through franchising remains an ambition announced by its founder.

Franchising is an ambition, not confirmed expansion

The founder intends to develop Teu Frango as a franchise brand and open further locations in Portugal. This makes the project relevant to those interested in the Portuguese franchise market, but it should not be confused with an announcement of new outlets that have already been agreed or scheduled.

Fabrício Choupina has identified consolidating the Setúbal restaurant as the immediate next step. Alongside this, he wants to continue developing the menu. The stated priority is therefore the existing operation and the refinement of its offering, rather than a series of openings announced for the near future.

This distinction matters when assessing the brand’s entry into Portugal. Having a restaurant and wanting to replicate it does not, in itself, mean that a franchise offer is ready for prospective partners. In Teu Frango’s case, what is confirmed is the founder’s ambition to pursue that route.

Prospective franchisees should therefore view this as a project to watch as it develops its Portuguese presence, rather than mistake its expansion ambitions for immediately available franchise opportunities.

Establishing the restaurant before replicating the concept

The focus on the first location puts the Setúbal operation at the heart of the current phase. This is where the brand is developing its Portuguese offering, keeping chicken at the centre of the concept while refining the menu.

For anyone considering joining a future network, it is important to distinguish the food offering from the partnership model. The product helps explain the restaurant’s positioning; the franchise terms, once presented, will make it possible to assess how other operators could replicate it.

Points to clarify at any future expansion stage include the investment required, each party’s responsibilities, training and operational support. These are matters for prospective franchisees to examine, not features that can already be attributed to Teu Frango’s offer.

What to watch for next

The project’s progress should be assessed through concrete announcements: the presentation of a franchise model, the publication of terms for joining the network, or confirmation of new locations. For now, Setúbal is the Portuguese opening identified, and consolidating that restaurant is the stated priority.

Practical takeaway: anyone following new restaurant concepts can keep Teu Frango on their radar, but should wait for the franchise terms to be presented before considering an application or making investment commitments.