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BUSINESS STRATEGY
Fast-expanding Egyptian chain sees its desserts blooming in the desert
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024
Social media hype and exciting visual presentation drives rapid growth of Egyptian desserts business, B.Laban. First Libyan outlet opens.
B.Laban, the ambitious Egyptian-based desserts chain, is opening its first Libyan outlet in the capital city of Tripoli tomorrow (Thursday, 12 September 2024).
In Africa, the chain already operates in Morocco. It also has a presence in numerous countries in the Middle East – Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and the UAE. The total number of outlets in the MENA region is now at around 120.
B.Laban is on a rapid expansion strategy after first opening its doors in Egypt in 2021. The explosive growth is being driven to a certain degree by a strong social media presence.
“Its format of creamy desserts with a range of fruit, chocolate and pastry toppings has become a viral sensation across the Middle East. Highlights include sweet koshary and ashtouta (traditional dishes popular in the region) and Biscoff toppings,” says Trendtype, the emerging markets consultancy.
Visual presentation and social media appeal is helping to drive B.Laban’s expansion in MENA. Photo: Facebook
“The brand is popular enough that it has already spawned copycats, such as the Qashtuta desserts chain in Oman.”
Commenting on the opening of the first B.Laban outlet in the Jordanian capital of Amman in January this year, the publication Jordan News says “you can see the influence on the younger generation as [B.Laban] garners and plays to a younger audience”.
Young people are responding to the social media hype
Calling the chain “a viral sensation”, Jordan News explains that when the Amman outlet opened, social media videos soon started to appear of long lines of young people waiting in the street, as locals rushed to find out what the hype was all about.
“What makes these desserts stand out is not just their taste but their presentation – a feast for the eyes. The restaurant’s fame surged when social media showcased its beautifully presented dishes, which blend traditional Egyptian food traditions with online trends,” the publication reports.
“B Laban’s success on platforms like Instagram highlights a digital-age truth: the way to the heart is through the eyes as much as the stomach. In today’s world, where visual appeal is paramount, restaurants like B.Laban are leveraging this to their advantage, using social media to turn traditional culinary experiences into visual feasts that entice a broader audience.”
The chain’s move into the Libyan market highlights the wider interest of Egyptian businesses in doing business with Libya, which is showing good economic growth and enjoying relative political stability after a long period of turmoil and civil war.
According to an analysis by Fitch Solutions, Libya’s economy grew by an estimated 19.5% in 2023 and will moderate to 9.5% in 2024. The latter figure is still well ahead of the average growth rate of 3.9% predicted for North African economies by the African Development Bank.
“Libya is an important expansion target for Egyptian manufacturers, keen to develop a valuable export market for what is currently overcapacity in the [Egyptian] FMCG manufacturing sector,” says Trendtype.
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