◆ For those who don’t know you yet, could you give us a short introduction about yourself and the path that led you to create Volup?

I’m Spanish, but I’ve been living in Lisbon for the past 10 years. After studying Finance, I moved here for a banking internship and quickly realized that the corporate world wasn’t the right path for me. Around that time, Uber was arriving in Portugal, and seeing the growth potential of TVDE fleets, I founded my first company, Ubimov. I still manage it today – it’s now one of the 5 largest fleets in the country and continues to grow steadily.

I’ve always loved great food, even if I’m not much of a cook. Once I started working, I became a frequent restaurant-goer. But during the pandemic, like everyone else, I couldn’t eat out and turned to delivery more often. That’s when the frustration hit: Lisbon had incredible restaurants, but the delivery options were mostly fast food, and the service quality simply didn’t match the city’s culinary talent.

That gap sparked the idea for Volup. I wanted to build a delivery service designed around Lisbon’s best culinary experiences – one that helped top restaurants deliver without ever compromising quality. Today, Volup works with more than 60 partners, including MICHELIN-starred restaurants, award-winning Chefs, and gourmet shops. And in 2025, we took a big step forward by expanding to Madrid, my hometown. A fun fact: my first job was at McDonald's, where I became one of the youngest store managers in Spain. Everything I learned there – about kitchens, operations, teams, and hospitality – still shapes how I build and lead Volup today.

◆ If you had to describe Volup in three words, what would they be?

Curated. Sophisticated. Pleasurable. (Our name, Volup, is inspired by voluptatis, the Latin word for pleasure – a reflection of our mission to bring the joy of the city’s best restaurants into people’s homes).

◆ What was the initial spark or gap you identified that made you believe Lisbon needed a premium delivery platform?

Volup was born in 2020, during a moment when restaurants were facing unprecedented challenges. I saw extraordinary Chefs and iconic Lisbon houses without a way to extend their craft beyond their own walls. Delivery existed, of course, but not a version that respected culinary integrity or treated the experience with the same care you’d expect inside the restaurant.

For anyone who wanted to enjoy a truly elevated dining experience at home – the kind a Chef would still be proud of – there simply wasn’t an option. Delivery platforms were optimizing for volume and speed, not quality and craft. That’s when we set out to build something different: a premium delivery service designed around detail, craftsmanship, and hospitality – not just convenience.

◆ From your perspective, what major trends are currently shaping Lisbon’s food scene?

Lisbon is having a strong gastronomic moment, with new restaurants opening at an accelerated pace and a growing diversity of backgrounds and nationalities. Three trends stand out to me:

1. Respect for roots: Chefs are revisiting Portuguese traditions with technique, finesse, and modernity, giving new life to classic flavors.

2. Ingredient obsession: From seafood to seasonal produce, the city’s Chefs are more focused than ever on the purity and quality of the product itself.

3. Sharing-style dining: There’s a growing appetite for smaller plates and tasting-style formats – a way of trying more dishes and creating a more social experience. Maybe it’s my Spanish side speaking, but I love seeing Lisbon embrace this “order several things for the table” spirit.