Iconic Midwestern chain Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream is making big moves abroad. Last year, the beloved quick-service restaurant unveiled plans to expand its footprint to the Middle East. Under a new master franchise agreement with H.J. Middle East LLC, the company opened its first Egyptian location in Cairo, with plans for several more restaurants on the way.
The expansion caps off a wildly successful year, with the company celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022. Moving from strength to strength after a tumultuous pandemic, the famous pizza franchise is bringing its beloved pies and friendly service to pizza fans around the world.
A Successful Launch in Egypt
Happy Joe’s chief happiness officer and CEO Tom Sacco explained how this major deal came to be in a recent release. “We had gotten some press about our brand and had two different groups reach out to us over the same four-month time frame expressing interest in bringing Happy Joe’s to Egypt and the Middle East.”
Ultimately, Sacco and the team decided to move forward with a group that had previous familiarity with the Happy Joe’s brand. Led by highly experienced franchisee Ahmed Elbatran, the group quickly got to work. Working alongside him as part of H.J. Middle East are Mohamed Magdy Elbatran, Abeer Ahmed Abdelhalim Elkabbany, and Zina Mohamed Magdy Elbatran.
“After signing our master franchise agreement last fall, we’re thrilled to start opening our doors over the next few months,” said Ahmed Elbatran, the president of H.J. Middle East. “Nothing compares to Happy Joe’s one-of-a-kind fun and family-friendly atmosphere in the entire Middle East and North Africa region. So, we can’t wait to bring the iconic brand back to Egypt under the new leadership, vision, and energy that chief happiness officer, CEO and President Tom Sacco has re-energized Happy Joe’s brand with. We are looking forward to bringing the community together creating lifelong magical memories at Happy Joe’s.”
Spreading Happiness — and Pizza — for Decades
Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream first opened its doors in 1972 in Bettendorf, Iowa. Founded by “Happy Joe” Whitty, the quick-service restaurant quickly made its mark, offering unique pizza pies and people-first service to all who entered. Creative pies, like their signature Taco Joe Pizza, continue to have a cult following. Today, the beloved Midwestern brand offers a variety of specialty pizzas, ice cream, pasta, breakfast fare, and more. One of America’s most iconic pizza places, restaurant locations span the Midwest and South. Now with a new international location in Egypt, the company plans to continue expansion abroad. Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream has been recognized by being inducted into Pizza Marketplace Magazine’s “Pizza Hall of Fame”, and named a FastCasual “Top 200” concept, Franchise Times “Top 400” business, and Nation’s Restaurant News “Top 500” restaurant. Last year, it was recognized by the QSR “Top 50” as a rising star ready for new growth.
In July 2022, the newly international quick-service restaurant opened its first location in the Cairo suburb of Roxy, Heliopolis, to incredible acclaim. The opening weekend was truly an event to behold, with families lined up outside the door. The energy was palpable, with first-time guests eager to try Happy Joe’s iconic pizza, ice cream, and other dishes for the first time. With children and families alike enjoying their meals and Happy Joe’s unique and cheerful atmosphere, it was clear that the grand opening was a resounding success.
Soon after the first opening in Roxy, a second and third Egyptian location are scheduled to open in the Giza suburb of Sodic, and in the Cairo suburb of Lotus. Word about the new locations spread quickly, with the Roxy location already tracking 22% higher foot traffic than its American counterpart on comparable orders over the same multiweek time frame. As the Egyptian staff became more knowledgeable about the Happy Joe’s brand, they were able to bring convenient new features to guests. Now, guests can enjoy pizza delivery, weekday buffets, and weekend brunch. To date, the most popular menu items are the Chicken Ranch Pizza, BBQ Beef Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza, milkshakes, and the brand’s famous Taco Pizza.
With the success of the first Egyptian location secured, Elbatran and co. plan to open an additional eight Happy Joe’s locations across Cairo. New locations will include the famous Mall of Arabia and the Mall of Egypt. The family-owned franchise group was awarded 25 units for expansion, with plans to open more than 50 locations in Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. For the Midwest-based chain, this expansion into the Middle East is the culmination of years of dreaming and planning.
For Tom Sacco, the success of the new location is a sign of a bright future for the brand. “We couldn’t be prouder of the work that Ahmed and his team have done on this incredible opening in Roxy,” he explained. “We’ve even been able to learn from this experience and will be testing out some changes the H.J. Middle East team made to the Chicken Ranch Pizza and the BBQ Beef Pizza in select U.S. markets. Now, we’re fully expecting Ahmed and his team to produce record sales on their next opening in west Giza, starting with a fabulous preopening party, including U.S. and Egypt government dignitaries, professional athletes, and a strong media buzz.”
Under the guidance of Sacco, master franchisee Elbatran will continue to lead the Middle East and North Africa expansion. The family-owned group will work to source and train new Happy Joe’s talent as they break ground on new locations. What’s more, the company is unveiling new international menus to cater to local tastes. Along with Happy Joe’s signature pies, guests will be able to enjoy new local-inspired fare, which will incorporate more seafood and chicken.
After a successful launch in Cairo, it’s clear that Elbatran and his family are excited to keep up the forward momentum for the brand.
“Happy Joe’s is so much more than just a delicious pizza restaurant, and I can’t wait for people in this part of the world to experience a place where kids and families create and celebrate memorable moments together,” Elbatran said in a recent press release. “Pizza delivery is widely popular in Egypt, and we’ll offer it, but nothing in this area compares to the magical dine-in atmosphere at Happy Joe’s. We’re proud to introduce this iconic brand to the Middle East and continue growing it throughout the region.”
Happy Joe’s History in Egypt
If you look far enough back into Happy Joe’s history, you’ll find that this isn’t the first time the brand made its way abroad. While the current North Africa and Middle East expansion is a new development for the Tom Sacco-led brand, Happy Joe’s actually operated locations in Egypt in the 1980s and ’90s.
Back when founder “Happy Joe” Whitty was CEO, he collaborated with Ahmed Elbatran’s father, Mohamed Magdy Elbatran, and his two brothers. The brothers operated three restaurants in Cairo, with one location famous for being shaped like a boat on the Nile River.
Seeing the brand’s recent growth and sensing a new opportunity for expansion, Ahmed reached out to Sacco, continuing his father’s partnership with the brand. Today, guests who enjoyed the Happy Joe’s experience 30 years ago can introduce their families to the famed restaurant of their youth. It’s a full-circle moment.
Future Plans To Expand
As CEO Tom Sacco explained, “Opening in Egypt in July of 2022 was a huge milestone for Happy Joe’s” and the team is excited to keep leading the charge into 2023 and beyond. After focusing efforts in North Africa and the Middle East, the company plans to embark on global expansion.
“Inking this deal was among the most exciting moments in our brand’s history,” Sacco said. “We’re beyond thrilled to begin this extraordinary international growth push as we bring Happy Joe’s overseas by expanding our presence in the Middle East and North Africa over the next decade. I expect this expansion to springboard Happy Joe’s into India, South Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. We look forward to working with Ahmed as Happy Joe’s prepares to scale new heights globally.”
For both the young and young at heart, Happy Joe’s Pizza is the perfect “happy place.” Along with the delicious smells of fresh pies baking, nostalgia abounds in each location, creating the sense of stepping back into a bygone era. With a bright and cheerful aesthetic, paired with friendly, smiling staff, it’s a reminder of a simpler time. For younger guests in particular, there’s nothing like celebrating a special occasion at Happy Joe’s. With plenty of sirens, horns, flashing lights, and a special song from the team, it’s the perfect spot to create memories that will last a lifetime. And with inventive offerings, like the 200-plus slices of pepperoni stacked on the Lollapalooza Pepperoni Pizza, Happy Joe’s offers a paradise for foodies of all ages. At a time when restaurants struggle to stand out from the crowd, Happy Joe’s is a reminder that sometimes, stellar food and superior service are the true recipe for success.
