Opening Stores in Italy: An Interview with Giorgia Bernardi (Dreams Donuts)
- reading time: 2 minutes
Giorgia Bernardi - Brand Manager Dreams Donuts
We met Giorgia Bernardi , Brand Manager of Dreams Donuts and part of the Aviesse Retail team, to gather her first-hand testimony on the entry of the Belgian brand into Italy — a journey that has already led to the opening of the first six stores in the country.
Giorgia, how did Dreams Donuts enter the Italian market?
The first thing Dreams Donuts did was identify a qualified local partner. They chose to collaborate with us at Aviesse Retail, an agency specializing in international retail development. When entering a new country, the first crucial step is to partner with a partner who knows the market well.
Dreams Donuts is a franchise. How do you find franchisees?
Primarily through social media and digital platforms dedicated to franchise search. We also participate in major industry trade shows, such as Salone Franchising Milano, where we are always present with significant investments in visibility and relationships .
What is the profile of the candidates interested in joining?
They are very diverse. They range from the young person looking to make their first investment and start their own business, to the experienced entrepreneur who already owns multiple stores and wants to diversify. It's precisely this diversity that makes franchising such a dynamic model.
Regarding local development, which locations do you prioritize?
In Italy, we focus primarily on shopping centers. These locations attract the majority of traffic, guarantee year-round business—even in bad weather—and have a more stable seasonality than city centers or suburban areas.
What kind of support do you provide to your affiliates?
In addition to operational support in supplier management and strategic decisions, we actively support them in maintaining the concept, ensuring commercial consistency, and ongoing communication. Maintaining brand identity is essential to us.
Any advice for an international brand looking to enter Italy?
To do exactly what Dreams Donuts did: immediately identify a local partner who will support them and help them understand how to adapt the concept , economic and commercial model to the Italian market.
And finally, what do you like most about your job as brand manager of Dreams Donuts?
(smiling) The donuts!
Giorgia Bernardi - Brand Manager Dreams Donuts Italia