Frisby (restaurant)
| Frisby | |
| Formerly | Pizzería Frisby |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Fast food |
| Founded | June 12, 1977 (as Pizzería Frisby) Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia |
| Founder | Alfredo Hoyos Mazuera |
| Headquarters | Dosquebradas, Risaralda[1] , |
Number of locations | 200 (2020[1]) |
| Products | |
| Website | frisby.com.co |
Frisby is a Colombian fried chicken restaurant chain founded by Alfredo Hoyos Mazuera on June 12, 1977. Frisby was founded in Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia.[2] It started as a pizzeria; however, later its owners decided to finally go into the fried chicken market.
Pioneering the fried chicken market in the country and bringing to Colombia the moniker for the dish, broaster chicken.[1] The owner has claimed that the company name, Frisby, comes from the technique of spinning pizza dough in the air, which makes it resemble a Frisbee disk.[3] In 1978 they started opening new places in the Coffee axis. In 1987 the first shop in Bogotá was opened and the same thing happened in Medellín in 1990. Frisby has more than 270 restaurants in 58 Colombian cities.[1]
Currently, they have added environmental friendly strategies into their packaging. These are 100% recyclable, with vegetable ink. Additionally, they run a campaign to have their customers drink their beverages without a straw.[4]
European Union controversy
A legal dispute arose in 2024 between Frisby S.A. BIC and Frisby España SL over the rights to the "Frisby" trademark in the European Union. Frisby S.A. BIC, which operates more than 270 restaurants in Colombia, registered its trademark with the EUIPO in 2005. In December of 2024, the newly established Frisby España SL requested to have this registration nullified, citing that the Colombian company had not used the trademark within the EU during the five-year period required by European trademark law.[5] The EUIPO ruled in Frisby España's favour and granted it exclusive use of the Frisby brand in the European Union.[6]
Frisby España began posting on social media using the same logo, colours and mascot as the Colombian chain, announcing that they would soon be opening in Spain.[5]
On May 5, 2025, Colombia-based Frisby S.A. BIC issued a public statement asserting that it had not authorized any expansion, marketing, or investment under the Frisby name in Spain or elsewhere in the European Union.[7] The Spain-based Frisby España SL categorically rejected the statements by the Colombian company and accused it of undertaking strategic defamation and smear campaigns, warning that it reserves the right to initiate legal action for defamation, unfair competition and damage to its reputation.[8]
Frisby S.A. announced in July of 2025 that it had retained the law firm Garrigues to represent it in the ongoing legal battle against Frisby España over the use of the trademark in the EU.[9]
As a result of the controversy, there has been an outpouring of support for Frisby S.A. BIC in Colombia, including from competitors.[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "Compañía – Frisby". Frisby.com (in Spanish). 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ^ "Historia de Marca: Frisby" (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ "Una 'pizza voladora' se convirtió en la mayor cadena de pollo frito en Colombia: así nació Frisby" (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ "Frisby". Frisby. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
- ^ a b Stacey, Diego (12 May 2025). "Frisby enters an international lawsuit over a Spanish trademark with the same name". El País América Colombia (in Spanish). Bogotá.
- ^ a b Bernal Durán, Camila (13 May 2025). "Frisby Spain confirms it obtained exclusive rights to the trademark in Europe". Forbes Colombia (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ "What is the court ruling that sided with Frisby Spain?". Semana (in Spanish). 14 May 2025.
- ^ Cortés Mejía, Nicolás (11 May 2025). "Frisby Spain attacks Frisby Colombia and responds to accusations of improper trademark use". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Bogotá, D.C.
- ^ "Frisby says it will take action against those holding the brand in Spain". MSN Noticias Colombia (in Spanish). 15 May 2025.