Iconic American pizza company opens new locations, embraces innovation and strengthens bonds with the community
Happy Joe’s, the beloved pizza and ice cream brand born in the American Heartland, has continued its international expansion with multiple new locations opening in Cairo, Giza, and the North Coast of Egypt, and plans to enter new markets in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Since opening their first location in Roxy Square in Cairo, the local franchise group in Egypt has benefited from the extensive support they’ve received from Happy Joe’s U.S. headquarters, from boots-on-the-ground assistance to ongoing guidance.
Ahmed El Batran, President of Happy Joe’s Middle East LLC, expanded the brand to four locations in Cairo and Giza with the help of his entrepreneurial family – father Mohamed Magdy El Batran, mother Abeer Ahmed Abdelhalim Elkabbany and sister Zeina Mohamed Magdy El Batran.
This summer, the family opened a 5th new 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.
“We’re extremely excited about this new North Coast location because it operates uniquely compared to other Happy Joe’s franchises,” said Tom Sacco, Chief Happiness Officer, CEO and President of Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream. “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.”
Ahmed, 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. They empowered him to get creative with recipes and tailor them to local tastes – such as replacing pork in our pepperoni and sausage with beef, and by adding jalapeños, mushrooms and tomatoes to traditional offerings – which have resonated well with the local customer base.
“Happy Joe’s has always embraced the spirit of innovation,” said El Batran. “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, Ahmed 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.
Happy Joe’s Middle East LLC isn’t just slicing and dicing pizzas for the locals; the franchise company 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 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, the franchisee has maintained high standards and continues to expand.
Looking ahead, 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. They are also exploring opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with potential sub-franchisee opportunities on the horizon.
For more information about Happy Joe’s, visit HappyJoes.com. For franchising opportunities, contact Kat Davidson at KatD@DRHnow.com or call 678.485.8413.
Founded in 1972 by Joe Whitty in Davenport, Iowa, Happy Joe’s dream was to create a restaurant concept that focused on serving America’s two favorite foods – pizza and ice cream – in a family-friendly, celebratory environment. Owned and operated by Dynamic Restaurant Holdings Inc., Happy Joe’s has been named a FastCasual “Top 200” concept, Franchise Times “Top 400” business, and Nation’s Restaurant News “Top 500” restaurant. The family-centric pizza brand has eight company and 34 franchise locations throughout the Midwest with more in the pipeline. To learn more, visit HappyJoes.com, or follow Happy Joe’s on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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