By the end of next year, they want to have 20 stores open, creating between 160 and 200 jobs, with an initial investment of two million euros, according to a report by ECO.

“SmashVille was born during a trip to Italy, where we first came across the phenomenon of the smash burger. After we took our first bite, we immediately decided that we would have to bring this product to Portugal, as it was something truly different from what we are used to seeing, and you only understand it by trying it,” explains Fernando Costa, one of the founding partners with Duarte Costa and Francisco Nobre Guedes.

“It is a more indulgent, mass-market product with the potential to grow quickly. The smash burger is a rapidly growing international trend, and we felt that it had not yet been explored in Portugal with the intensity and clarity that we wanted to bring, especially in shopping malls, where Poke House is more present,” continues the manager.

“We want to position SmashVille as a clear, irreverent and unpretentious brand. The experience is simple, fast and tasty, with a focus on the product. Our ingredients are fresh and premium — the meat comes from Italy, the bread comes from Pennsylvania (USA) and the potatoes come from the Netherlands. Each burger is made in front of the customer,” explains Fernando Costa. “It is a brand with a strong visual image, designed for the digital world and for an audience that values ​​authenticity,” reinforces the founding partner responsible for the brand’s communication.

Expansion plans

The first two burger joints are already operating. “For now, the priority is the shopping centers, where we can test and scale quickly. The first two locations are open — Atrium Saldanha and Amoreiras — and we are about to open the next three, in Almada Forum, CascaiShopping and Campo Novo,” says Fernando Costa.

“The high street should become part of the equation, but at a later stage. The plan is to continue working on new openings this year and have 20 stores by the end of 2026,” he reveals. “We are working to have 10 stores open in the short term, and 20 in the medium term. The initial investment is around 2 million euros,” he says.

There will be an investment of our own, with the use of franchising to accelerate expansion to be evaluated at a later stage of the project. “In this initial phase, all stores will be owned. We want to ensure consistency in the product, service and environment. Later on, we may consider franchising — but only with a very well-tested base. The focus now is to fine-tune the concept with full operational control,” explains Fernando Costa.

The chain could create between 160 and 200 jobs by 2026. “Each store generates, on average, between 8 and 10 direct jobs. With the first two stores, we are already generating around 20 jobs, in addition to the offices (10). By the end of the year, we hope to have 65 employees,” says the founding partner.

The brand was launched by two of the Portuguese partners of Poke House, a chain that in 2020 was invested in by Poke House Italia, owned by Matteo Pichi and Vittoria Zanetti. “Poke House continues to grow: there are currently 26 stores and three new openings are underway — Alegro Sintra, Algarve Shopping and Campo Novo,” says Fernando Costa.