Born in 1924 into a family of five with limited means, Viriato Rocha was destined for a life in the furniture industry.

Skipping the conventional route of schooling, he began his journey in the industry as a “glue boy” for a joiner, gradually mastering the trade until he ascended to the role of Foreman in the country’s largest furniture factory. Viriato Rocha soon after became the boss’s right-hand man.

Meanwhile he completed 4th grade of school, which meant Viriato Rocha could take his driving license. In 1952, aged 28, he decided to buy a small workshop of about 100 m2 about 2 km from Viriato’s current facilities.

With his initial team, Viriato Rocha embarked on the journey of designing, producing, and marketing his own furniture, targeting households and small retail markets.

In these early years Viriato only had an old motorcycle to visit customers while furniture was delivered by train. Even so, he was able to make his way, steadily expanding his reach and conquering new markets.

By the early 1960s, Viriato’s workforce had grown to around 20 employees, and he finally acquired his first company vehicle. These pivotal years were instrumental in solidifying the Viriato brand and laying the groundwork for future success.

In 1967, 15 years after the company was founded, António Rocha, Viriato’s eldest son joined the family business. From driving to carpentry and sales, António quickly became an integral part of the company.

In 1973, recognizing the need for modernization, father and son embarked on a transformative journey. António persuaded Viriato to venture to Italy and Germany to witness the cutting-edge technological advancements of the era. Upon their return, Viriato was convinced: it was time to invest wholeheartedly in innovation and workforce training.

The company boldly invested 50 million escudos (equivalent to 250 thousand euros) towards renovating the factory and introducing a new line of finishes.

Despite political challenges that occasionally hindered progress, Viriato persevered, propelling the company into a phase of remarkable growth thanks to being a modern production facility. Viriato extended its range of operations by starting to devise a more aggressive business strategy with modern lines and professional catalogues, and by opening a permanent showroom.

At this time two more reinforcements came from the family’s children. First Viriato Mario and later Fernando Rocha embraced the passion of their father and elder brother and gradually took on the management of the Finance and Production areas, while António led the Sales division.

In the late 70s and early 80s, António Rocha participated in all major international trade fairs, laying the groundwork for an expanding portfolio of international clientele.

At the Versailles Fair, a pivotal encounter occurred—a contracting company overseeing projects for 40 hotels within the Confortel chain in France expressed keen interest in Viriato’s offerings. Sensing a remarkable opportunity, António Rocha seized the moment and made a bold leap into the hotel market.

This marked the start of Viriato’s foray into hotel projects, with ventures undertaken for esteemed chains such as Radisson and Accor. Flagship projects soon followed, including the furnishing of a hotel in New Caledonia—an achievement that remains a point of pride for António, reflecting the remarkable journey of a small company from northern Portugal dispatching 60 containers of furniture across the globe to a destination 22,000 kilometers away.

By the late 80s and early 90s, household furniture was on the decline, making way for hotels to take center stage. Viriato adapted, focusing on designing and furnishing everything from beds and chairs to curtains and carpets. And that’s how the Viriato Hotel Concept was born—a game-changer in the luxury hotel market.

As business flourished, Viriato relocated to its current Recarei location in 1998, marking its second major investment in equipment and technology. With a workforce of 140 employees, the company was poised for further growth.

As Viriato Rocha began to take a step back, the third generation of his family stepped up, ushering in new business ventures.

The company started to develop full hotel concepts and projects, ready for implementation and operation. With this strategy, the company became Viriato Hotel Concept, a company with a 21st century focus.

The brand now started to be associated with some of the most sumptuous hotels across the continents and the largest global chains such as Marriot, Sheraton, Meridien, Intercontinental, Hilton, Pestana and Club Med.

Expanding its reach, Viriato ventured into the Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (FFE) segment, branching out into cruise ships, bars, and restaurants.

Viriato Hotel Concept evolved to offer complete decoration solutions, from fabrics and curtains to mattresses, lighting, and all manner of decorative accessories.

Even at 80, Viriato Rocha continued to visit the factory almost daily, witnessing the company’s growth firsthand and providing unwavering support to his children and grandchildren.

In 2008, VIRIATO had its best ever year, boasting a record-breaking turnover exceeding 25 million euros. The factory received a notable upgrade by esteemed architect Nuno Brandão Costa.

However, the global financial crisis of that same year dealt a severe blow, particularly impacting the construction sector and subsequently tourism and hospitality. This led to the cancellation of most international orders.

The company overcame yet another challenge and emerged stronger. Today, Viriato Hotel Concept is one of the few global companies in furniture manufacturing and bespoke decoration services, collaborating with leading interior designers and architects specializing in the hospitality industry.

With 25.000 m2 dedicated to production Viriato is able to respond to 50 hotels, i.e. about 12.500 rooms a year.

In March 2023, the ACO II fund managed by Arrow Global partnered with VIRIATO to support its other investments in the hospitality industry. The fund placed a new management team and CEO, while retaining the influence and knowledge of the Rocha family in the company.

With the infusion of fresh capital, the future looks promising for VIRIATO ensuring the continuation of the 72 year old company. Having a dynamic partner like Arrow Global, with a strong international presence and an integrated vision of the business, is something that will certainly push VIRIATO further and reinforce its position of reference in the FF&E and hospitality industry.

This investment by the funds adds value to Arrow Global Group’s exposure in Portugal. Arrow Global currently owns Restart Capital, Details Hotels & Resorts, Whitestar, Norfin and Hefesto, as well as its fund that holds stakes in Vilamoura World and the Dom Pedro Hotels in Algarve and Madeira.