Forcado

What Forcado does

Forcado is a family-owned Portuguese artisanal pastry shop operating three retail locations in Brussels, Belgium (Dansaert, Saint-Gilles, and Uccle) under two legal entities, Forcado SRL and Forcado Uccle SRL. The business traces its origins to 1982, when founder Joaquim Braz de Oliveira began developing Portuguese pastries sold under the name 'Le petit Forcado,' and has since grown into a counter and tasting room concept passed down through the family. The company serves general consumers in Brussels seeking authentic Portuguese flavors, handmade pastries, and regional delicatessen products.

The core product offering centers on traditional Portuguese pasteis de nata in multiple flavors (classic, lemon, chocolate, speculoos), complemented by low-lactose and gluten-free cake alternatives, handmade jams, coffee and beverages, and a selection of Portuguese delicatessen items. All pastries are produced by hand on premises, with no proprietary technology platform or automation disclosed. The business accepts a broad range of payment methods including Mastercard, Visa, Bancontact, Payconiq, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Meal Vouchers, and the Uccle location distributes through Deliveroo for delivery.

Forcado operates a direct-to-consumer, physical-retail go-to-market model. Revenue is generated from in-store pastry sales, takeaway, dine-in tasting rooms, and delivery. The company maintains a modest marketing presence through press coverage (Petit Futé, Bruzz, Marie Claire, Flair), social media, newsletter subscriptions, and occasional co-branded events such as the 2020 Pastel de Nata Pastry Stout collaboration with BBP Dansaert and Portuguese brewer David Santos. The business is privately held with no external investment, parent company, or subsidiaries.

Name

Forcado

Legal name

Forcado SRL / Forcado Uccle SRL

Website

https://forcado.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forcado is a family-owned Portuguese artisanal pastry shop operating three retail locations in Brussels, Belgium, serving general consumers with handmade pasteis de nata, allergen-friendly cakes, Portuguese delicatessen products, and dine-in tasting and Deliveroo delivery options.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Patisserie

NAICS

Retail Bakeries (311811)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ethnic & Regional Bakeries (e.g., Middle Eastern, Asian, Latin) (THAFAFAJ)

Keywords

• Portuguese pastries
• Pasteis de nata
• Artisan patisserie
• Portuguese delicatessen
• Specialty bakery

Headquarters

HQ city

Bruxelles

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail pastry sales: In-store sales of Portuguese pastries including pasteis de nata, seasonal creations, and specialty items. Revenue generated from direct customer purchases at three Brussels locations.
2. Delivery and takeaway: Takeaway orders and delivery services, with Deliveroo partnership for the Uccle location.
3. Quality delicatessen products: Selection of Portuguese products found in their quality delicatessen.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Forcado is an artisanal Portuguese patisserie that hand-produces and sells authentic Portuguese pastries, primarily pasteis de nata in multiple flavors (classic, lemon, chocolate, speculoos), complemented by low-lactose and gluten-free cake alternatives, regional Portuguese delicatessen products, house-made jams, and a coffee and beverage menu. The business operates three physical retail locations in Brussels (Dansaert, Saint-Gilles, Uccle) offering dine-in tasting rooms, takeaway, and Deliveroo delivery (Uccle).

Product overview

Forcado is a Portuguese artisanal pastry shop (patisserie) operating as a single unified brand with three physical locations in Brussels (Dansaert, Saint-Gilles, and Uccle). The core product offering centers on traditional Portuguese pasteis de nata available in multiple flavors (classic, lemon, chocolate, speculoos), complemented by low lactose/gluten-free cake alternatives. The company also offers a delicatessen selection of regional Portuguese products and beverages. All pastries are handmade with a focus on quality and authenticity, carrying on recipes developed by founder Joaquim Braz de Oliveira since 1982.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pasteis de Nata Traditional Portuguese egg tarts, the signature product of Forcado. Available in multiple flavors including classic, lemon, chocolate, and speculoos, sold in-store and via Deliveroo at the Uccle location. Targeted at consumers seeking authentic Portuguese pastry in Brussels.
• Low Lactose and Gluten-Free Cakes Range of cakes with reduced lactose and/or gluten-free recipes, developed for customers with dietary restrictions. Available alongside traditional pastries at all Forcado locations in Brussels.
• Portuguese Delicatessen Products Selection of regional Portuguese products and specialty items sold in-store at Forcado's Brussels locations. Targeted at consumers seeking authentic Portuguese grocery items.
• Coffee and Beverages Coffee and beverage menu available at all three Forcado locations in Brussels, served alongside pastries in-store and at the tasting room in Saint-Gilles.
• Homemade Jams (Confitures Maison) House-made jams produced in-house at Forcado and sold at the retail locations, with particular availability at the Dansaert location in Brussels.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• BBP DansaertminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2020Collaborative event partnership for the Special Release Pastel de Nata Pastry Stout on July 24, 2020. Forcado provided pastries while BBP Dansaert hosted the event and served their pastry stout.
• David Santos (Portuguese brewer)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2020Portuguese brewer collaborated with Forcado to create a special Pastel de Nata Pastry Stout featuring vanilla, cinnamon sticks, lactose, lime and pastéis de nata flavors.
• DeliveroominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery partnership for the Uccle location, allowing customers to order Forcado products through the Deliveroo platform for home delivery.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Manteigaria: Portuguese pastel de nata specialist patisserie chain founded in Lisbon, with locations in Portugal and internationally. Directly comparable to Forcado as both are dedicated Portuguese egg tart specialists with sit-down counter service and brand identity built around authentic pasteis de nata.
• Wittamer: Established Brussels patisserie founded in 1910, offering pastries, chocolates, and tea-room service. Comparable as a Brussels-based heritage patisserie with multi-generational ownership, retail locations, and sit-down service similar to Forcado.
• Maison Dandoy: Belgian artisanal bakery in Brussels specializing in speculoos and traditional biscuits, with multiple retail locations including sit-down tea rooms. Directly comparable as a Brussels-based family heritage patisserie with similar multi-channel retail and dine-in model.
• Pierre Marcolini: Belgian luxury patisserie and chocolatier with flagship locations in Brussels. Comparable as a Brussels-based premium pastry brand with retail storefronts and a craft/artisanal positioning similar to Forcado.

Broad incumbents

• Le Pain Quotidien: Belgian-origin bakery-cafe concept with global locations, offering pastries, coffee, and light meals in sit-down settings. Comparable as a Brussels-origin cafe-bakery concept with sit-down service, though at vastly greater scale.
• Pastéis de Belém: The historic and original Portuguese pastel de nata cafe in Lisbon, operating since 1837. Comparable as the iconic Portuguese specialty pastry destination with sit-down service, though at much greater scale and brand recognition than Forcado.
• Ladurée: Iconic French luxury patisserie known for macarons and pastries, with international locations including sit-down tea salons. Comparable as a heritage patisserie brand with sit-down service and a specialty pastry focus, though operating at much larger scale.
• Paul: Large French bakery-cafe chain with locations across Europe and beyond, offering pastries, breads, and sit-down cafe service. Comparable as a multi-location European bakery-cafe chain with similar product categories (viennoiserie, pastries) and dine-in format.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/picture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forcado

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forcado