Eataly
Corporate brand
UnclaimedAn Italian food-hall and retail brand combining specialty grocery, restaurants, cafés, bakeries, culinary education, and food culture.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Eataly is an international Italian food retail and hospitality brand built around the idea that a large food marketplace can combine shopping, eating, learning, and cultural discovery in one destination. Its locations generally bring together a supermarket-style market for Italian and regional foods, counters for fresh pasta, bakery products, meat, fish, cheese, wine, and coffee, several restaurants or casual dining concepts, and spaces for cooking classes and events. Rather than operating solely as a grocery chain or solely as a restaurant group, Eataly presents itself as an integrated food experience in which products are sold alongside the meals and traditions associated with them. The first Eataly opened in January 2007 in Turin, Italy. Founder Oscar Farinetti converted a former vermouth factory in the Lingotto district into a large food venue accessible from the Lingotto metro station. The concept drew on the atmosphere of an open European market while adding the selection and merchandising of a specialty supermarket, the immediacy of a food court, and an educational component. Eataly also developed a relationship with the Italian food movement Slow Food, reinforcing its emphasis on provenance, artisanal production, regional identity, and consumer education. The brand expanded internationally with the opening of its first Manhattan store in 2010. The location near Madison Square Park attracted extensive media attention and long queues, helping establish Eataly as a prominent example of experiential food retail in the United States. Subsequent openings included large destination stores in Rome, Chicago, Milan, Istanbul, São Paulo, Munich, Boston, Los Angeles, Stockholm, Paris, Toronto, and Dallas, as well as airport, resort, cruise, and other specialized formats. Store size and ownership structure vary: some locations are directly operated or developed with local partners, while others are franchised or connected to landlords and hospitality companies. Eataly's business model depends on multiple revenue streams within a single physical location. Grocery and specialty-food sales provide a retail base, while restaurants, counters, cafés, bakery operations, wine sales, private-label products, events, and educational programs broaden the offer. The format is designed to encourage customers to move between discovery and purchase: a visitor may eat a dish, attend a class, and then buy ingredients or products associated with that experience. This model also gives producers and regional food categories a prominent setting in which to tell their stories. The brand's expansion has included partnerships with major property and travel operators. In the United States, stores have been developed in prominent urban shopping and mixed-use destinations, including Park MGM in Las Vegas and Westfield Century City in Los Angeles. Eataly also entered the cruise sector through a partnership with MSC Cruises. In Canada, Toronto became a particularly important market, with multiple locations opening over time. At the same time, Eataly's international network has experienced changes in franchise relationships and local operations, including the dissolution of its Moscow franchise after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the later termination of its relationship with the São Paulo operator. In September 2022, Investindustrial VII LP acquired a majority stake in Eataly, becoming its controlling owner. The company remains privately held. Leadership has included former Luxottica chief executive Andrea Guerra, who became Eataly's CEO in 2016, and Nicola Farinetti, Oscar Farinetti's son, who succeeded Guerra after Guerra left in 2019. Eataly has also faced reputational issues connected with former minority owner and investor Mario Batali; after sexual misconduct allegations emerged in 2017, the company removed products carrying his likeness and subsequently separated itself from him. Eataly's positioning is premium but not limited to formal dining. It combines Italian food heritage with a contemporary, highly visual retail environment and seeks to make regional ingredients, production methods, and culinary techniques accessible through both commerce and participation. Its continuing development depends on balancing a distinctive Italian identity with local market adaptation, partner relationships, food-safety and labor requirements, and the operational complexity of running restaurants and retail departments under one brand.
History
Eataly originated in Turin, Italy, where Oscar Farinetti opened the first store in January 2007 inside a converted vermouth factory in the Lingotto district. Farinetti had previously worked in consumer electronics and applied a retail entrepreneur's approach to Italian food. The new format was conceived as a large, accessible marketplace rather than a conventional supermarket: customers could buy ingredients, eat prepared food, visit restaurants and cafés, and participate in cooking education in the same building. Collaboration with Slow Food helped frame the concept around artisanal production, regional traditions, traceability, and appreciation of food culture. The first international breakthrough came in New York City. Eataly's Manhattan store opened on August 31, 2010, in the Toy Center Building near Madison Square Park. The large venue received strong press coverage and drew queues after opening, demonstrating that the food-hall model could function as both a retail business and a tourist and cultural destination. The company then developed a wider network in Italy and abroad. In 2012, it opened a major Rome store in a former air-terminal building near Ostiense Station, followed by additional Italian locations including a site at Rome Fiumicino airport and a venue in Genoa's Porto Antico area. Eataly broadened its formats during the 2010s. Its partnership with MSC Cruises placed Eataly restaurants on cruise ships, while new stores entered major urban and hospitality destinations. The Chicago store opened in December 2013 and became the company's largest United States location at the time. A large Milan store followed in March 2014. International openings in Istanbul in 2014, São Paulo in 2015, and Munich later in 2015 extended the brand beyond its original Italian and North American bases. The company continued expanding its United States presence during the following years. Plans were announced for a Park MGM Las Vegas venue and a Downtown Manhattan location, while stores opened in Boston's Prudential Center in 2016 and Westfield Century City in Los Angeles County in 2017. The Los Angeles site surpassed Chicago in size and illustrated Eataly's preference for prominent, large-format locations. In 2018, the company opened its 40th location in Stockholm in a former cinema. Paris followed in 2019, with a store in the Marais district, and Toronto became another important market after its first Canadian location opened in November of that year. Leadership changed during this expansion. Andrea Guerra, previously chief executive of Luxottica, became Eataly's CEO in 2016. He departed in 2019 to take an executive role at LVMH, after which Nicola Farinetti succeeded him. Eataly also faced a major reputational issue in 2017 involving Mario Batali, a former investor and minority owner. After sexual misconduct allegations against Batali became public, Eataly removed products carrying his likeness and separated the brand from him. The network expanded further with the opening of a Dallas store in December 2020. Eataly later altered some international relationships in response to political and operational circumstances. In March 2022, it announced the dissolution of its Moscow franchise following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In September that year, Investindustrial VII LP acquired a majority 52 percent stake and became the company's controlling owner. Eataly also signed the European Chicken Commitment in 2022, undertaking animal-welfare improvements intended for implementation by 2026. Toronto continued to grow as a multi-location market, with further stores at Sherway Gardens in 2023 and Shops at Don Mills in 2024. Separately, Eataly severed ties with its São Paulo store in December 2023; the former franchise operator reportedly continued operating without authorization until a court order closed the branch in August 2025. These developments illustrate both the scalability and the complexity of Eataly's partner-based international model. The brand's core proposition remains the integration of specialty food retail, restaurants, cafés, bakery and fresh-food counters, and culinary education in large, experience-oriented venues.
- 2024
Third Toronto location opens
[1]Eataly opens a location at Shops at Don Mills.
- 2023
Second Toronto location opens
[1]A second Toronto store opens at Sherway Gardens.
- 2022
Investindustrial becomes majority owner
[1]Investindustrial VII LP acquires a 52 percent majority stake in Eataly.
- 2022
European Chicken Commitment signed
[1]Eataly commits to specified chicken-welfare and humane-slaughter improvements by 2026.
- 2020
Dallas location opens
[1]Eataly opens a 40,000-square-foot store at NorthPark Center.
- 2019
Paris and Toronto launches
[1]Eataly opens its first Paris store and enters Canada with a Toronto location.
- 2018
40th location opens in Stockholm
[1]Eataly opens a 32,300-square-foot venue in a former Stockholm cinema.
- 2017
Los Angeles location opens
[1]Eataly opens at Westfield Century City, at the time its largest United States location.
- 2016
Andrea Guerra becomes CEO
[1]Andrea Guerra assumes the chief executive role.
- 2015
São Paulo and Munich openings
[1]The brand opens its first Southern Hemisphere location in São Paulo and its first German location in Munich.
Products and positioning
Premium Italian food culture presented through an integrated marketplace, restaurant, education, and hospitality format.
Retail · 2007
Specialty Italian grocery
Eataly's market areas sell a broad assortment of Italian and regional foods, including pasta, sauces, oils, vinegar, preserves, grains, confectionery, cheese, cured meats, fresh produce, seafood, and other cooking ingredients. The assortment emphasizes recognizable regional traditions and products that can be used in the restaurants or taken home.
Fresh food · 2007
Fresh pasta and bakery
Fresh-food departments are central to the Eataly experience. Depending on the location, customers can find handmade or freshly prepared pasta, breads, focaccia, pastries, cakes, and other bakery products. These products connect the retail offer with visible preparation and the dishes served at on-site counters and restaurants.
Dining · 2007
Restaurants and food counters
Eataly locations typically contain multiple dining concepts rather than one standardized restaurant. Offerings may include pizza, pasta, seafood, meat, regional Italian specialties, cafés, wine bars, and casual counters. This multi-concept structure lets each store provide both quick meals and more complete dining while showcasing ingredients also available in the market.
Beverages · 2007
Italian wine and beverages
Wine departments and beverage counters form an important part of Eataly's Italian-food positioning. Stores offer Italian wines and may pair them with restaurant service, tastings, or educational events. Coffee, espresso drinks, aperitivi, and other beverages extend the brand's use of the store beyond traditional grocery shopping.
Education and experiences · 2007
Cooking classes and culinary education
Many Eataly venues include cooking schools or educational spaces offering classes, demonstrations, tastings, and food-related events. The programs support the brand's wider proposition that customers should learn about ingredients, techniques, and Italian regional foodways as part of the shopping and dining experience.
Controversies
2017
Mario Batali association and sexual misconduct allegations
Mario Batali, who had been a founder-level investor and minority owner associated with Eataly, faced sexual misconduct allegations in 2017. Eataly removed products bearing his likeness shortly afterward and stated that he was no longer attached to the company.
Brand decisions
2022
Dissolution of the Moscow franchiseStrategyBackground
Russia's military invasion of Ukraine changed the political and operating environment for international brands.
Action taken
Eataly announced the dissolution of its Moscow franchise in March 2022.
Aftermath
The Moscow franchise was removed from Eataly's international operating network.
2022
Investindustrial majority investmentM&ABackground
Eataly pursued a change in ownership while continuing as a privately held international food and hospitality brand.
Action taken
Investindustrial VII LP acquired a 52 percent majority stake in Eataly.
Aftermath
Investindustrial became the controlling owner; the company remained privately held.
Acquisition consideration. €200 million (September 2022)
2022
European Chicken CommitmentStrategyBackground
Animal-welfare expectations were becoming more relevant to food retailers and hospitality operators.
Action taken
Eataly signed the European Chicken Commitment, pledging improvements to chicken living standards and humane slaughter practices by 2026.
Aftermath
The commitment established a stated animal-welfare implementation target for the company's relevant sourcing activities.
2017
Removal of Mario Batali-branded productsOtherBackground
Sexual misconduct allegations against former investor and minority owner Mario Batali created a reputational risk for the Eataly brand.
Action taken
Eataly withdrew products carrying Batali's likeness and separated the brand from his association.
Aftermath
Batali was no longer attached to Eataly, and the company removed a visible connection between its retail assortment and the former investor.
2013
Expansion into cruise-ship diningStrategyBackground
Eataly sought to extend its Italian food and restaurant format beyond conventional urban stores.
Action taken
The company partnered with MSC Cruises to open two restaurants on MSC Preziosa and later add Eataly to MSC Divina.
Aftermath
The partnership demonstrated the adaptability of the brand's restaurant concepts to travel and hospitality settings.
Recent events
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