"Sphera's journey demonstrates the power of long-term vision. Since the first Pizza Hut restaurant opened in 1994, we have created unique experiences based on international know-how coupled with understanding and adapting to consumer preferences and behavior. This is how we have become a leader in the foodservice sector. We will continue to expand, keeping the recipe that has made us successful so far: in every establishment, we put customer satisfaction first, support employee development and support communities. These principles have defined the company in the 30 years I have been a part of it and continue to guide us in every decision," says Călin Ionescu, CEO, Sphera Franchise Group.

On a monthly basis, Sphera restaurants in Romania serve over 4 million consumers. In order to meet their demand, on average about 625 tons of chicken meat, 75 tons of vegetables and more than 225 tons of flour are used in KFC restaurants every month. Nearly 1.5 million garlic sauces are sold in KFC every month, while in Taco Bell restaurants, monthly consumption of Nacho Cheese sauce is around 7 tons.

Over 5,000 jobs generated and supporting the local economy

With over 5,000 employees, the Group has built a culture of diversity and equal opportunity. 65% of restaurant management positions are held by women. Over 80% of restaurant managers are promoted from within the organization. The youngest member of the Group team is 16 years old and the most experienced member is 72 years old. The youngest Restaurant Manager is only 24 years old. Over the 30 years, we have counted more than 35 nationalities other than Romanian among Sphera Group employees.

One of the Group's objectives is to create a strong partnership with local producers. Currently, around 80% of the raw materials used in the restaurants come from local suppliers, and 80% of the total procurement budget for the Romanian and Moldovan operations is directed to local suppliers. 

Under the Tomorrow's Menu platform, which brings together all of the brands' social responsibility initiatives, Sphera, together with partners such as SOS Children's Villages Romania and the Zi de Bine Association, carries out projects that address two fundamental needs in an integrated manner: access to education and food safety for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. It supports over 155 children from 51 families in the counties of Teleorman and Brasov and 50 children in Bucharest through personalized solutions, from educational and food support to improving living conditions.

It also support communities by donating food, limiting food waste. Since 2017, through the Harvest program, KFC restaurants have donated more than 22 tons of food to partner associations that support people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Sphera Franchise Group's presence in Romania

The first restaurant in the Sphera Group's portfolio is Pizza Hut Dorobanți, opened in 1994, a milestone in the Romanian food service industry - it was the first foreign restaurant chain to enter the local market, setting new standards of quality and food safety.

Three years later, in 1997, the group introduced the KFC brand in Romania, marking the beginning of an expansion that would change Romanians' traditional eating habits.

In 2008, Sphera went beyond Romania and chose Chisinau, in the Republic of Moldova, where it opened a KFC outlet.

The Group's expansion continued, and in 2017 it added a third country on the map - Italy, and the first KFC restaurant was opened in Verona.

Also in 2017, the restaurants were consolidated under the Sphera Franchise Group holding company, and the brand portfolio expanded with Taco Bell. Shortly after, in November 2017, the Sphera Group was listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, with its shares becoming part of the main index, BET.
In October this year, it acquired the franchise rights for Cioccolatitaliani, a premium brand of chocolate products.

Currently, the Sphera Group owns 173 restaurants in 3 countries: 107 KFC in Romania, 3 in Moldova and 18 in Italy; 28 units and a Pizza Hut sub-franchise and 16 Taco Bell in Romania.

The Sphera Franchise Group is the largest group in the food service industry in Romania, owning the companies that operate the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell franchises in Romania and KFC in Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova and in certain areas of Italy. The group owns over 170 restaurants in the three markets and employs around 5,000 people. Sphera Franchise Group has been listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange since 2017, under the symbol SFG, and is the only HoReCa company included in the main BET index as well as in the MSCI Frontier Markets .