The restaurant chain La Mafia se sienta a la mesa, founded in Zaragoza and one of the most recognizable brands in Italomediterranean dining in Spain, is entering a new strategic phase following a ruling that questions the use of its commercial name. The company asserts that the process will not alter its growth plan and that it has been working for over a year on various brand evolution scenarios.
The procedure was initiated before the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office following an initiative promoted by the Italian Embassy in Spain. According to the group in a recent press release, the ruling known in recent days is not final, and the company continues to assess with its legal advisors the possibility of filing an appeal.
The company emphasizes that the brand has been registered and renewed for over two decades by the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office. They also state that they attempted to open a dialogue with the Italian ambassador who initiated the challenge to explain the origin of the name, although those discussions did not take place.
Despite the controversy generated, the group insists that the situation does not affect the business project or its market positioning. «A word does not change 25 years of history,» company sources indicate, emphasizing that their priority is to continue developing a high-quality Italomediterranean gastronomic proposal focused on product quality and customer experience.
Strategic analysis and possible new name
The company explains that, since becoming aware of the procedure, it has initiated a strategic reflection process alongside specialized consulting firms and law offices. This work has included the analysis of a possible new name for the brand with the aim of reinforcing its long-term positioning.
Meanwhile, the company assures that the operation of the business will not be affected and that the restaurants will continue to function normally throughout the process.
A group with nearly 120 establishments
Founded in Zaragoza in 2000, the project originated from two entrepreneurs inspired by an Italian recipe book that named the first restaurant. Over time, it has evolved into the Grupo LMssLM, which operates several concepts of Italomediterranean dining.
Currently, the group comprises nearly 120 operational units in Spain, Portugal, and Andorra, including the restaurants of La Mafia se sienta a la mesa and other brands such as Ditaly and La Boutique Trattoria Viajera. The project employs around 2,500 people and maintains an expansion plan that includes nearly 30 openings by 2026.
The company plans to communicate the next steps of this new phase shortly, in which the group will seek to consolidate its growth while maintaining the values that have defined its business model for over two decades.
