Do you know that businessman everyone talks about when it comes to franchising in Brazil? Robinson Shiba is practically synonymous with success when you think about delivery and fast food. His story is one worth following, especially if you're interested in entrepreneurship.

Robinson Shiba was born in Maringá, Paraná, but grew up in São Paulo. He comes from a Japanese-origin family, and interestingly, his initial education was in dentistry. But here’s the interesting detail — while studying, he was already observing the market, looking for opportunities. His grandparents owned a hardware store, and from a young age, he was immersed in the business environment. This greatly shaped his entrepreneurial vision.

The big turning point in Robinson Shiba’s life happened in 1986, when he traveled to the United States. He went to study English, but things didn’t go as planned — he lost his money and ran out of resources. To survive, he started working in restaurants, initially washing dishes and later making deliveries. It was exactly at this moment that he saw something no one else was seeing in Brazil: the huge potential of delivery and fast food. In the US, this was completely normal. Here? Practically nonexistent.

In 1992, Robinson Shiba returned to Brazil and opened the first China in Box unit in Moema, São Paulo. The idea was simple but brilliant: quality Chinese food served in practical boxes, delivered to your home. But there was one detail that made all the difference — he left the kitchen visible to the public. This broke a huge prejudice Brazilians had against Chinese food. People wanted to see how it was being prepared.

The growth was explosive. Robinson Shiba quickly realized he couldn’t manage everything alone, so he bet on the franchise model. This decision transformed China in Box into one of the country’s biggest franchising success stories. In the 90s, the brand already had dozens of units spread across São Paulo. The expansion was fueled by the growth of urban delivery, increased fast food consumption, and a well-thought-out operational standardization.

But Robinson Shiba didn’t stop there. Seeing the rising interest in oriental cuisine, he created Gendai, focused on Japanese cuisine in a fast casual format. Later, in 2008, he consolidated everything by creating the TrendFoods group, which manages both China in Box and Gendai. The strategy was clear: expansion in shopping malls, focus on the Brazilian middle class, and growth through franchises.

Robinson Shiba’s visibility skyrocketed even more when he appeared on Shark Tank Brazil in 2016. The show highlighted him as a reference in entrepreneurship, franchise management, and scalability. His practical experience brought a lot of credibility.

In 2019, Robinson Shiba faced a tough moment — he suffered a serious motorcycle accident in São Paulo and needed a long recovery. But as someone who built an empire from scratch, he came back. His story also became associated with resilience.

Robinson Shiba’s legacy in Brazilian entrepreneurship is undeniable. He showed how to observe global trends, adapt international models to the local context, and scale a business through franchises. His journey continues to inspire those who want to create something meaningful in the food and delivery market. Robinson Shiba turned an observation made while washing dishes in an American restaurant into one of Brazil’s biggest business success stories.