What can you do with a bunch of bananas? For ordinary people, they may just be a snack or an ingredient for a drink, but for Leonardo Macedo and Chito Barcellos, bananas were a dream ingredient that could be transformed into a multi-billion won business. 'Nanica Brasil', which started in a small shop in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2018, has now become a nationwide success story as a banoffee specialty franchise.
A Small Start, a Huge Leap
The beginning of Nanica Brasil was humble. In a small shop of just 40m² on Rua Augusta, a bustling street in São Paulo, they began selling traditional banoffee with a base of milk biscuit dough, dulce de leche, whipped cream, and bananas. The simple dessert captured the taste buds of consumers, and the business grew rapidly. In 2024, it achieved annual sales of 55 million reais (approximately 15.4 billion won) and in the first half of 2025 alone, it sold over 600,000 tart slices, recording a net profit of 18 million reais (approximately 5 billion won).
The success of Nanica Brasil was not limited to a simple increase in sales. In 2019, actor Tiago Abravanel joined as a co-founder and brand ambassador, causing brand awareness to skyrocket. In 2021, they attracted investment from SMZTO, Brazil's largest franchise investment holding company, and began a full-fledged expansion of their franchise business. They currently operate over 60 stores throughout Brazil, with a goal of opening 80 stores by the end of 2025.
Catching Two Birds with One Stone: Expansion and Innovation
To expand their business, Nanica Brasil introduced a new model of small stores. These small shops, ranging from 40m² to 50m², lower the initial investment cost to around 280,000 reais (approximately 78 million won) and allow for the investment to be recouped within 18 to 30 months. Thais Costa, the CEO of Nanica Brasil, explained, "We want to make our business accessible to more people. Small stores reduce costs while maintaining profitability and increase the potential for expansion throughout Brazil." Their expansion plans include major cities like Goiânia and Niterói, with the goal of establishing a nationwide presence.
In addition, Nanica Brasil continues to innovate by introducing a variety of new menu items besides the traditional banoffee. They have developed new flavors such as Monoffee using strawberries and Uvoffee with grapes, and are actively pursuing collaborations with famous brands like Oreo and Paçoquita. During the last Christmas season, they sold 5,000 Panetoffee—a banoffee-flavored panettone—generating 400,000 reais (approximately 110 million won) in sales, and in 2025, they released their first Easter egg dessert.
Starting from a simple banana dessert and growing into an innovative franchise, the story of Nanica Brasil proves that in the Brazilian franchise market, a banana can be more than just a fruit—it can be a symbol of innovation and opportunity.
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