Frisby (restaurant)

Colombian fried chicken restaurant chain

Frisby S.A. BIC

Trade name

| Frisby
Formerly| Pizzería Frisby
Industry| Restaurants
Genre| Fast food
Founded| June 12, 1977; 48 years ago (1977-06-12) (as Pizzería Frisby)
Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
Founder| Alfredo Hoyos Mazuera
Headquarters|

Dosquebradas, Risaralda[1]

Colombia[1]

Number of locations

| 270 (2025[1])
Products|

* Fried chicken
* Hamburger
* Salad
* Biscuits

Website| frisby.com.co

Frisby is a Colombian fried chicken restaurant chain founded by Alfredo Hoyos Mazuera on June 12, 1977 in Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia.[2] Originally opened as a pizzeria, its owners soon shifted focus on fried chicken.

It is credited with pioneering the fried chicken market in Colombia and popularizing the broaster style of cooking in the country. [1] The owner has claimed that the company name, Frisby, came from the technique of spinning pizza dough in the air, which resembled a Frisbee disk.[3] In 1978, the company began expanding across the Coffee Axis. It opened its first Bogotá location in 1987, with its first Medellín location opening in 1990. As of 2025, Frisby has more than 270 restaurants in 58 Colombian cities.[1]

Today, Frisby is known for its fried chicken served with honey and is considered a symbol of Colombian gastronomy.[4]

## European Union controversy

[edit]

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

[edit]

* List of fast-food chicken restaurants

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "Compañía – Frisby". Frisby.com (in Spanish). 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
2. ^ "Historia de Marca: Frisby" (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 June 2020.
3. ^ "Una 'pizza voladora' se convirtió en la mayor cadena de pollo frito en Colombia: así nació Frisby" (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 June 2020.
4. ^ "Álvaro Uribe Vélez enjoys a Frisby combo and goes viral on social media". Pluralidad Z (in Spanish). 10 December 2024.
5. ^ 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.
6. ^ 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.
7. ^ "What is the court ruling that sided with Frisby Spain?". Semana (in Spanish). 14 May 2025.
8. ^ 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.
9. ^ "Frisby says it will take action against those holding the brand in Spain". MSN Noticias Colombia (in Spanish). 15 May 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Chicken-based restaurant chains

Global|

* 4FINGERS
* Albaik
* Al Tazaj
* Bonchon Chicken
* Buffalo Wild Wings
* Buffalo Wings & Rings
* Buffalo's Cafe
* Chester's
* Chick'nCone
* ChicKing
* Church's / Texas Chicken
* Dave's Hot Chicken
* Dixy Chicken
* Galito's
* Jollibee
* Kenny Rogers Roasters
* KFC
* Marrybrown
* Nando's
* Pollo Campero
* Popeyes
* Slim Chickens
* Southern Fried Chicken
* SugarBun
* Wienerwald
* Wingstop

Regional|

| Africa|

* Chicken Licken (ZA)
* Chicken Republic (NG)

|

Asia|

* Bacolod Chicken Inasal (PH)
* California Fried Chicken (ID)
* The Chicken Rice Shop (MY)
* Dicos (CN)
* Geprek Bensu (ID)
* Home Original Chicken (CN)
* Juewei Duck Neck (CN)
* J&G Fried Chicken (TW)
* KLG (TW)
* Kyochon (KR)
* Mang Inasal (PH)
* Max's Restaurant (PH)
* Nene Chicken (KR)
* Pelicana Chicken (KR)
* SCR (MY)
* TKK Fried Chicken (TW)

Europe|

* Chicken Cottage (UK)
* Dixy Chicken (UK)
* Morley's (UK)
* Southern Fried Chicken (UK)

North America|

* Boston Market (US)
* Bojangles' (US)
* Brown's Chicken & Pasta (US)
* Bush's Chicken (US)
* Chefette (BB)
* Chick-fil-A (US)
* Chicken Express (US)
* Chicken in the Rough (US)
* Chicken Salad Chick (US)
* Cluck-U (US)
* Dixie Lee (CA)
* El Pollo Loco (US/MX)
* Foosackly's (US)
* Golden Chick (US)
* Golden Skillet (US)
* Guthrie's (US)
* Hen House Restaurants (US)
* Harold's Chicken Shack (US)
* Hartz Chicken (US)
* Juan Pollo (US)
* Kyochon
* Lee's Famous (US)
* Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken (US)
* Mary Brown's (CA)
* Mrs. Winner's (US)
* Pioneer Chicken
* Pollo Campestre (SV)
* Pollo Tropical (US)
* Quaker Steak & Lube (US)
* Raising Cane's (US)
* Rostipollos (CR)
* Roy Rogers (US)
* Scores (CA)
* Smithfield's (US)
* St-Hubert (CA)
* Swiss Chalet (CA)
* Tip-Top (NI)
* White Fence Farm (US)
* Wild Wing (CA)
* Wing Zone (US)
* WingStreet (US)
* Zankou Chicken (US)
* Zaxby's (US)

Oceania|

* Belles Hot Chicken (AU)
* Big Rooster (PG)
* Chargrill Charlie's (AU)
* Chicken Treat (AU)
* El Jannah (AU)
* Oporto (AU)
* Red Rooster (AU)

South America|

* Frisby (CO)
* HNT Chicken (BR)
* Royal Castle (TT)

List of chicken restaurants
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