Obicà acquires Burgez: from mozzarella to fast food, 1.3 million for the brand and locations

Milan – From gourmet mozzarella to burgers, the "world's most irreverent fast food restaurant" has fallen on hard times. Obicà Mozzarella Bar , a restaurant chain founded in Rome in 2004 and currently undergoing expansion in Italy and abroad, is also acquiring Burgez : it is the previously unknown winner of the auction that concluded in August with the brand and premises being sold for €1.3 million. This opens a new chapter, as anticipated by the specialized magazine "Retail&Food," for the restaurant chain, controlled by the Scudieri family, which is known for its menus featuring PDO buffalo mozzarella from Campania as the main ingredient, used for pizzas and pasta dishes.

Burgez employees are also expected to be reabsorbed by the buyer, with the details yet to be determined. The fast food chain was launched by the dynamic entrepreneur and writer Simone Ciaruffoli , and enjoyed its peak in Milan during the Expo, distinguishing itself with " an aggressive and distinctive communication style ." Its success was also achieved through guerrilla marketing campaigns, provocative initiatives, and resulting controversy. Its history has collided with the crisis and debt , so much so that the Milan Court declared the company in liquidation. This procedure replaces bankruptcy and allows the company's assets to be sold to pay off creditors, ensuring an orderly resolution to the crisis. Having set aside the possibility of a "piecemeal" sale , it was decided to proceed with the en bloc sale of the brand and premises, gathering expressions of interest.

Simone Ciaruffoli, founder of the fast food brand Burgez

The late August auction on the Astebook platform concluded with the sale of the company Mercato srl at €1.3 million, with formalization of the transfer of ownership currently underway. The Scudieri family, whose entrepreneurial roots lie in the automotive sector with Adler Plastic, has been diversifying its business for some time. In addition to the launch of Obicà, which also includes a restaurant overlooking the Duomo, they have acquired the Pantelleria winery Catina Abraxas, founded by former minister Calogero Mannino and also facing troubled waters, the Neapolitan leather goods brand Tramontano, and other assets. A "shopping cart" that now also includes Burgez.