Texas-based better-burger brand MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes is stepping up its international expansion after signing a master franchise agreement with Great USA Foods LLC for the United Arab Emirates.
The agreement, announced August 12, gives Great USA Foods the role of MOOYAH’s Master Franchisee in the UAE, with restaurants planned for Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the near future, followed by broader expansion across the country in the coming years.
Great USA Foods is led by partners Nizar Shalwani and Roma Subazali. “We are honoured and excited to join the MOOYAH team and take on the role as a master franchisee in the UAE,” said Shalwani, Partner at Great USA Foods LLC. “The brand offers exceptional products that we look forward to sharing with residents and visitors in these new markets.”
MOOYAH President Michael Meche said Great USA Foods brings a proven track record of growing brands, particularly in Texas, where the team has been active for about two decades. “We are thrilled to partner with the Great USA Foods team to expand our presence to the UAE,” Meche said. “They have an impressive proven track record of growing brands, notably in Texas for the past 20 years. Their business acumen and dedication to expand internationally will help drive our success in this emerging market.”
The companies identified the UAE’s strong local consumer base, high tourist density and consumer spending trends as factors behind the decision to enter the market. MOOYAH’s positioning around made-to-order burgers, hand-cut French fries and hand-spun real ice-cream shakes is expected to form the core of the UAE offering.
MOOYAH’s Middle East Franchise Footprint
The UAE agreement extends MOOYAH’s existing presence in the Middle East. Current reporting indicates the brand has restaurants in Oman, Qatar and Bahrain, alongside its U.S. network. It is reported that the brand has two locations in Oman, two in Qatar and one in Bahrain, while MOOYAH’s latest company announcement puts its overall system at 80 units across the United States and Middle East.
The UAE deal is therefore MOOYAH’s latest international expansion outside North America and gives the company a platform to develop a larger presence in the Gulf region.
Founded in 2007 in Plano, Texas, MOOYAH operates as a franchise-led fast-casual burger concept. Its menu includes burgers made with fresh, never-frozen Certified Angus Beef, all-natural turkey burgers and black-bean veggie burgers, alongside hand-cut fries, fresh-baked buns, garden-fresh toppings and real ice-cream shakes.
MOOYAH continues to position franchising at the centre of its growth strategy, providing franchise partners with training, operational support and marketing resources.
The UAE agreement is structured differently from a conventional single-unit franchise because Great USA Foods is taking master franchise rights for the market. The announcement, however, does not disclose the number of UAE restaurants committed under the agreement, the agreement term, investment value, royalty split, development schedule or whether Great USA Foods will sub-franchise individual UAE locations.
The immediate rollout is focused on Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with additional UAE expansion expected in subsequent years.
With the agreement, MOOYAH is adding one of the Gulf’s most internationally oriented foodservice markets to its development pipeline while Great USA Foods gains the opportunity to build the brand across a market combining a large resident population with significant international tourism.
