Summary
Finnish fast food chain Hesburger has opened its first ever outlet in Italy. The restaurant in the city of Matera, in the Basilicata region of souther…
The restaurant in the city of Matera, in the Basilicata region of southern Italy, officially began welcoming customers on Friday 23 October.
With the opening of the outlet in Matera coming in the wake of similar recent expansions into the Romanian and Polish markets, Hesburger now operates in 10 different countries across Europe.
In a press release, the firm said that the move will create 20 new jobs in the city.
The statement also noted the influential role Italian entrepreneur Venanzia Rizzi, who is originally from Matera but has lived in Finland for a long time, had in bringing the Finnish chain to Italy.
"Matera is my hometown and Finland is my second home country. That's why it's especially wonderful to connect these two important places to me through entrepreneurship," Rizzi said.
Hesburger's statement further added that its arrival in Matera — a city known for its strong food culture — has drawn both "positive and cautious reactions".
"The feedback we've received directly has been positive, and we're happy that our brand is generating interest. Above all, we want to earn the trust of local customers through quality products, friendly service, and a positive customer experience," noted Ieva Salmela, Hesburger's Director of Communications and International Marketing.
When Hesburger's plans were first revealed in September, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that some locals were not pleased by the arrival of another fast food chain in their city, coming just months after a similar expansion by McDonald's.
Yle News reporter Ronan Browne explains the cultural and historical context behind Hesburger's expansion into Italy.
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Source: Yle News
