Size and presence
Franchise networks opened 2.1 establishments for each deregistration in 2025
Openings per establishment deregistration in 2025 in the 503 measured networks, the lowest ratio since 2015
See the full table (9 rows)
| Segment | Measured networks | Openings in 2025 | Deregistrations in 2025 | Openings per deregistration in 2025 | Openings per deregistration in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyms and sports | 21 | 518 | 49 | 10.57 | 6.57 |
| Food | 124 | 1,557 | 904 | 1.72 | 2.04 |
| Food, retail and distribution | 25 | 881 | 421 | 2.09 | 2.88 |
| Education | 31 | 236 | 189 | 1.25 | 1.23 |
| Fashion and accessories | 83 | 1,061 | 690 | 1.54 | 2.33 |
| Health, beauty and wellness | 86 | 1,241 | 567 | 2.19 | 2.40 |
| Services and other businesses | 126 | 1,849 | 742 | 2.49 | 3.21 |
| Tourism and hospitality | 7 | 36 | 31 | 1.16 | 2.56 |
| All measured networks | 503 | 7,379 | 3,593 | 2.05 | 2.50 |
The open data of the CNPJ (Brazilian company registry) record the activity start date of each establishment and the date on which it was deregistered, that is, when its registration was closed, which makes it possible to follow, network by network, the flow of openings and closures of the establishments that use the brand in their trade name. The indicator adds up this flow in the 503 franchise networks that have a profile in the observatory with the section of Receita Federal (the federal tax authority), within the CNAEs (national classification of economic activities) expected for each business, from 2015 to 2025.
In 2025, these networks opened 7,379 establishments and deregistered 3,593, which corresponds to 2.1 openings for each deregistration, the lowest ratio in the series. Openings fell from the peak of 8,131 recorded in 2024, while deregistrations reached the highest number of the eleven years measured, after rising from 1,309 in 2015 to 3,593 in 2025. From 2015 to 2024, the ratio ranged between 2.4 and 3.0, with the maximum in 2016.
The difference between segments is wide. The gyms and sports segment opened 518 establishments and deregistered 49 in 2025, a ratio of 10.57, while tourism and hospitality stood at 1.16 and food, retail and distribution went from 2.88 in 2024 to 2.09 in 2025.
How we calculate
We start from the census of the open CNPJ data of Receita Federal, reference month October 2026, in which each network in the observatory is counted by the trade name expression and the CNAEs expected for the business, the same ones reported in each brand's profile. An opening is an establishment whose activity start date falls in the year, whatever its current registration status, and a deregistration is an establishment with deregistered status whose status date falls in the year. The 503 networks with at least 30 active establishments in the subset are included, the floor that the methodology requires to publish the Receita Federal section, each assigned to one of the observatory's eight segments. The ratio is the number of openings divided by the number of deregistrations in the same year. The year 2026 is left out because the reference month covers only part of it, the series starts in 2015 for the reasons described in the limitations, and cells with fewer than five establishments are left blank in the file.
The first edition of the indicator, dated October 11, 2026, measured the 419 networks that the observatory covered on that date, and the edition of October 12, 2026, the 442 networks of that time. The edition of October 18, 2026, with the networks added to the universe on that date, measured 497 networks, the edition of October 30, 2026, already on reference month October 2026, measured 509 networks, and the edition of November 8, 2026, with the expansion of the universe in this edition, measures 503 networks on reference month October 2026. The files of previous editions remain available in the Open data section.
What this figure does not show
- The set of networks is the observatory's set in October 2026, made up of networks in activity. Networks that closed before then are not included, which reduces deregistrations in the earlier years and is the reason the series starts in 2015.
- Openings and deregistrations count CNPJs, not units. A change of franchisee usually closes one CNPJ and opens another at the same location, and an establishment that changes its trade name leaves the count without having ceased activity.
- The count depends on the establishment using the brand in its trade name, which excludes units registered only under the franchisee's legal name, in a proportion that varies from network to network. The individual microentrepreneur almost never fills in that field, and the share of MEI (individual microentrepreneur regime) with a trade name in the same activities falls from 29.0% among those opened in 2019 to 0.4% in 2024. For this reason, individual companies that opted into MEI go from 7.2% of the identified openings in 2019 to 0.2% in 2025, a movement that reflects how the registry is filled in, and recent openings under that regime are left out of the series. Without these companies in any year, the ratio for 2025 is 2.07 and remains the lowest in the series.
- The deregistration date is that of the record at Receita Federal, which may occur months or years after the actual closure, including through ex officio deregistration of inactive registrations.
- The result for each segment reflects the composition of the measured networks, and a large network may determine the flow of a segment with few networks.
Frequently asked questions
How many franchises close each year in Brazil?
In the 503 networks measured by the observatory, 3,593 establishments with the brand in the trade name were deregistered, that is, had their registration closed in the CNPJ (Brazilian company registry), in 2025, compared with 7,379 opened in the same year. The figure covers the tracked networks, not the entire sector, and counts CNPJs, not units.
Do franchise networks open more units than they close?
In the measured networks, yes. In 2025, there were 2.1 openings for each deregistration in the CNPJ (Brazilian company registry), the lowest ratio since 2015, with deregistrations at the highest number in the series.
Which franchise segment opens the most units?
In absolute numbers, the services and other businesses segment opened 1,849 establishments in 2025, and the food segment, 1,557. In the ratio between openings and deregistrations, gyms and sports leads, with 518 openings and 49 deregistrations.
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Maintained by Marktech, which serves franchise networks and franchises. The brands cited belong to their owners and are mentioned here only to identify the network the data refers to.