Ribezzi Group has completed the acquisition of a collection of three heritage restaurant brands operating across Athens, Milan, and Barcelona — the most significant expansion of its Retail and Food & Beverage division since 2020.
The collection, which spans more than four decades of family ownership across two generations, includes a Michelin-recommended restaurant in central Athens, a celebrated Milanese trattoria, and a Barcelona seafood institution founded in the early 1980s. Together, the three businesses employ nearly two hundred people and serve more than half a million guests annually.
“These are not investments, in the conventional sense,” said [Founder Name], Founder and Chairman of Ribezzi Group. “They are stewardships. Each of these businesses has been built over decades by founders who care deeply about their craft, their teams, and their communities. Our role is to ensure that what made them great in the first place becomes only more durable in the years ahead.”
The acquisition follows a structured eighteen-month review process during which Ribezzi’s hospitality team worked directly with each founding family to understand the operational, cultural, and financial foundations of their respective businesses. All three founding families will remain involved in advisory and stewardship roles, with the next generation of operators continuing to lead day-to-day operations.
A long-term commitment to the region
Southern Europe has long been a focus area for Ribezzi’s hospitality strategy. The region’s deeply rooted food culture, intergenerational family businesses, and resilient consumer base align with the group’s preference for businesses with strong cultural identity and decades-long operating histories.
“We do not enter a market to extract from it,” explained [Head of F&B Name], who leads the group’s Retail and F&B division. “We enter because we believe in the long-term cultural and commercial relevance of what is already there. Our investment is meant to preserve, strengthen, and quietly grow — never to disrupt.”
The group has confirmed that the existing brand names, menus, and culinary leadership will remain unchanged. Investment from Ribezzi will focus on three areas: long-term property security across all three locations, succession support for the founding families, and selective expansion into adjacent cities where the brands have strong regional recognition but no current presence.
What this means for the portfolio
With this acquisition, Ribezzi’s Retail and Food & Beverage division now operates twelve hospitality and consumer brands across seven countries, employing more than nine hundred people. The division remains the most active arm of the group, accounting for approximately a third of total portfolio companies.
Looking ahead, Ribezzi has indicated that the F&B portfolio will continue to grow selectively, with a focus on legacy brands in Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Levant. The group does not intend to expand the division beyond a maximum of twenty operating companies.
“Selectivity is not a constraint,” [Founder Name] noted. “It is the entire point. We say no far more often than we say yes — and that discipline is what allows us to say yes properly when the right opportunity appears.”
About Ribezzi Group
Ribezzi Group is a multi-sector holding company with operations across Real Estate, Retail & Food and Beverage, Consultancy, and Commodities. Founded on a commitment to long-term ownership and operational craft, the group partners with founders, families, and operators to build enduring businesses across continents.
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