Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream keeps growing in the Middle East, with new stores in Cairo, Giza and the North Coast of Egypt. But that has meant adapting to local tastes and seasonal traffic, according to its franchisee in the region.
Ahmed El Batran, president of Happy Joe’s Middle East LLC, has expanded the brand to four locations in Cairo and Giza with the help of his entrepreneurial family, including father Mohamed Magdy El Batran; mother Abeer Ahmed Abdelhalim Elkabbany; and sister Zeina Mohamed Magdy El Batran.
This summer, the family opened a fifth seasonal Happy Joe’s on Egypt’s North Coast adjacent to Alexandria, a popular summer destination along the Mediterranean Sea, catering to tourists looking to indulge in some American pizza and refreshing ice cream. Tom Sacco, Happy Joe’s president, CEO and chief happiness officer, said that location “operates uniquely compared to other Happy Joe’s franchises. It’s the perfect spot for vacationing families, and it’s only open during seasons with heavy tourism, which I think will make it very successful.”
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El Batran, inspired by his fond childhood memories of the brand, attributes his rapid success in Cairo and Giza to the active support received from Sacco and the headquarters team. He said Happy Joe’s empowered him to get creative with recipes and tailor them to local preferences, such as replacing pork in the pepperoni and sausage pizza with beef and adding jalapeños, mushrooms and tomatoes to traditional offerings. The topping changes have resonated well with the local customer base.
“Happy Joe’s has always embraced the spirit of innovation,” El Batran said. “From The Taco Joe to Happy Joe’s Special, the company has always found new ways for guests to experience high-quality flavors on the pizzas they love. Our local adaptations have been a huge hit.”
Beyond menu innovations, El Batran is also changing Happy Joe’s architecture. He recently introduced a container-based restaurant format for takeaway on the North Coast and creative waffle packaging that has been popular with younger customers, the company said.
Happy Joe’s Middle East LLC is also making significant efforts to engage the community by hosting events to raise money for local hospitals and partnering with schools in Alexandria for fundraising efforts. El Batran has also become an enthusiastic adopter of social media platforms. Not only has this approach garnered more awareness for the brand in Egypt, it also helped him win the Best Social Media and Best Marketer of the Year Awards at Happy Joe’s annual conference in April in Iowa.
Despite challenges such as ingredient sourcing and supply chain disruptions due to the war in Ukraine, Happy Joe’s plans to continue its expansion with new locations in Cairo, including 6th of October City in Giza, and Lotus in New Cairo. The brand is also exploring opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with potential sub-franchisee opportunities on the horizon.
