The Catalan gourmet empanada company Las Muns has secured €1.85 million in a new funding round. This funding is designed to accelerate its expansion into Europe and North America. Led by family offices and business angels from the gastronomy sector, the investment will primarily fortify the firm’s industrial capacity from its recently upgraded production centre in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
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Founded in Barcelona in 2013 by Mariano Najles and Diego Rojas, Las Muns has grown to over 50 points of sale across several international markets. The company’s core mission is to elevate the humble empanada from an occasional bakery snack into a staple of the quality fast-casual dining scene, a segment long dominated by pizzas and burgers.
A Recipe for Growth
A significant portion of the funds has been allocated to its new workshop in L’Hospitalet, a facility that became operational last August. Reports in El Periódico indicate this strategic move triples the company’s production capacity, providing the logistical backbone to support ambitious growth plans both within Spain and abroad.
This investment reflects a buoyant period for local businesses scaling internationally, similar to the recent strategic moves by Catalan startup Metascan in securing agreements in Singapore. The decision by Las Muns to centralise its expanded operations in Catalonia also mirrors the local commitment shown by other regional brands, such as the Sorli supermarket chain, which recently affirmed its dedication to staying in the region.
The L’Hospitalet Hub
The new production centre is the heart of the Las Muns business model. With the exception of its Canadian operations, Las Muns produces every empanada sold under the brand in L’Hospitalet, then distributes them to its various markets. This centralised approach allows the company to maintain strict control over costs, ensure product consistency, and scale efficiently without compromising quality-a critical factor when operating a single brand across multiple countries.
This industrial strategy also simplifies operations at the point of sale. By concentrating the complexity in the factory, the franchise outlets can run smoothly with a lean model. “Our operation is very simple and does not require highly specialised staff, which is relevant in a context of labour shortages,” Mariano Najles, CEO and co-founder, told local media. For franchisees, this translates into lower labour costs, easier staff training, and improved profitability per square metre.
Conquering Global Palates
Having secured its production capacity, Las Muns now focuses its strategic efforts on Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, and Canada. “They are different markets, but they share key elements for our model: high consumption of quality fast food, a strong take-away culture, and sufficient purchasing power to bet on a carefully crafted product,” Najles explained.
The company expands internationally through master franchise agreements with local operators who manage development in their respective territories. This allows for rapid growth with less direct financial exposure, while leveraging the market expertise of local partners. The Canadian operation, however, uses local production due to logistical challenges, a model that could be replicated in other distant markets if they achieve sufficient scale. For now, proximity enables efficient supply to the European network from Barcelona.
An Empanada in Every Hand?
Beyond simply opening new stores, Las Muns has a more structural ambition: to establish the empanada as a permanent category within the fast-food landscape. The company acknowledges that it is a smaller player in a field of international giants, but it sees opportunity in this very fact.
Diari Catalunya reports that Najles is confident in the potential for a new challenger. “We believe there is room to build a category with a long runway and to lead that development,” he stated. From its industrial base in L’Hospitalet, Las Muns is combining production might, brand identity, and a smart franchise system to take a beloved Catalan staple to the world stage.
