Naples, Italy - Some would say that Geppi Marotta is an innovator, but the seasoned restaurateur would rather be known as an educator.
Fratelli La Bufala - the dining destination with a menu that emphasizes authentic Neapolitan pizza and dishes with buffalo meats and cheeses – represents Marotta’s commitment to preserving the rich culinary heritage of the Naples inland region. The concept, which debuted in Naples in 2002, has experienced so much success that it now has 20 locations across Italy and worldwide, including the most recent opening in Miami Beach.
“He wanted to create a new restaurant based in tradition Neapolitan farmland cuisine, and he had the intuition to feature buffalo cheeses and meats, which are emerging in popularity around the globe,” said Luca D’Angelo, who is president of M6 Italy, the parent company of Fratelli La Bufala, and head of the M6 USA division, which presently consists of the new Miami Beach location. “His idea to build the menu around true Neapolitan pizza, and buffalo products, is what has differentiated us and helped us develop a loyal customer base in all of our markets.”
Still a young chain at three years old, Fratelli La Bufala serves more than 3,000 people per day at its 20 locations, which are all corporately owned. Its flagship restaurant in Naples seats 300 people. The company even owns a stake in a buffalo cheese factory in the Campania region of Italy and is planning to establish a pizza school in Naples.
Reflecting Marotta’s commitment to illustrating genuine Neapolitan pizza and cuisine with buffalo meats and cheeses, Fratelli La Bufala takes precise measures to ensure authenticity. For instance, Fratelli La Bufala’s pizza mirrors the rich tradition of Neapolitan pizza that dates back to the 17th century. Pizza took its present-day form in pre-Renaissance Naples, which is located in southern Italy. The world's first true pizzeria opened in Naples in 1830 and is still open today. Pizzerias in this era usually included a large brick oven, a marble counter where the crust was prepared, and a shelf lined with ingredients – just as Fratelli La Bufala does at each location. Maintaining Neapolitan tradition, trained pizzaiolos at Fratelli La Bufala assemble entire pizzas on the marble counter within view of their guests.
“Fratelli La Bufala has a tradition of recruiting, training and nurturing the talent of pizzaiolos,” D’ Angelo said. “We have a team of more than 50 pizzaiolos who rotate across the different locations, according to where they are needed. They travel the world with a mission to educate people about what we believe is the best pizza in the world.”
It is this attention to detail that gives M6 the confidence that Fratelli La Bufala will see continued growth.
“When we first opened, we focused on developing a core of restaurants in Naples since this is where most of the partners are, and because we specialize in local ingredients and dishes,” D’Angelo said. “In 2004, we expanded into larger cities in Italy – such as Bologna, Bergamo, Milan and Turin. And in 2005 we opened in London and Miami. We felt it was the ideal time to start building brand equity abroad.”
Fratelli La Bufala plans to have 40 locations in Italy alone by 2007. In 2006, plans call for new locations in Barcelona and Hannover, Germany, which is near Berlin. In the United States, the chain intends to develop a cluster of units in South Florida, and then expand into the Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles markets.
“We believe we have a unique concept and a successful business model,” D’Angelo said. “Most Italian restaurants in the United States are not true Italian. They have menu items that would not appear on the dinner tables at homes across Italy.
“We will continue to focus on what we do best – authentic Neapolitan cuisine, ingredients and preparation,” D’Angelo added. “We are a restaurant that is true to the culinary heritage of the Naples inland region. We provide our guests with a cultural experience.”
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