Restaurant 'Vapiano' ceases operations in Latvia

The Italian restaurant chain Vapiano has shut down its sole outlet in Latvia, situated at the Origo shopping centre in Riga. Company representatives confirmed that the restaurant's last day of operation was Wednesday, July 15.

This closure means Vapiano is no longer present in the Latvian market. The company did not disclose how many employees will lose their jobs as a result. In a statement on social media, the restaurant invited customers to visit it one last time.

Vapiano's exit from Latvia follows a similar move earlier this year in Lithuania, where the chain had two restaurants in Vilnius. The Lithuanian operator, Piano Ozas, announced that all staff would be laid off, but stressed that the company would not file for bankruptcy and would fulfil all legal obligations related to the closure.

The franchise rights for Vapiano in the Baltics and Finland are held by the Estonian holding company MM Grupp, controlled by businessman Margus Linnamäe. Currently, five Vapiano restaurants remain open in Estonia and two in Finland. Globally, the Vapiano chain operates more than 170 restaurants in over 30 countries.