Five Saudi Arabian Franchises to Exhibit at Buybrand 2026

Five Saudi Arabian franchises are scheduled to exhibit at Buybrand 2026 in Moscow: Berovan, Burgerizzr, Hashi Basha, Khaliyat Khalid and Namq. According to an announcement published on Retail.ru on 27 September, they will be represented at the Timiryazev Centre from 29 September to 1 October. For Russia’s franchising community, this is an opportunity to meet restaurant chains of varying sizes and discuss potential partnerships directly.

Saudi delegation broadens its line-up

Saudi Arabia is taking part in Buybrand for the second time, but this particular line-up of brands is appearing for the first time. All five operate in foodservice, with formats ranging from grilled sandwiches and burgers to honey pastries and coffee with desserts.

Their participation is supported by the Saudi National Franchise Committee and Safa International, also referred to in the announcement as the Saudi Franchise Alliance. The latter helps brands expand into international markets.

However, exhibiting at the event should not be taken to mean that these brands are opening outlets in Russia. The published material names the exhibitors and provides information about their networks, but does not report any signed agreements with Russian partners, selected premises or opening dates for their first outlets. The announcement concerns the presentation of franchises and opportunities for business discussions.

This distinction matters when assessing an opportunity: discovering a concept at an exhibition is one stage, while confirmed development plans for a particular country require further information from the brand owner.

Which chains will be represented?

Berovan is a grilled sandwich chain. According to the announcement, it has nine outlets, three of which are franchised. Based on the figures provided, it is the smallest of the participating chains. Prospective partners meeting its representatives should ask how franchisee support is organised and which elements of the concept would be transferred to another country.

Burgerizzr is a Saudi burger chain with 124 company-owned outlets. According to the publication, it has only recently launched its franchise offering. It is important here to distinguish between experience in running company-owned restaurants and experience in supporting independent partners: the size of a company-owned network alone tells you little about what its franchise package includes.

Hashi Basha is described as one of the country’s fast-growing restaurant brands. The announcement lists 151 franchised outlets and six company-owned restaurants, meaning that franchisee-operated locations dominate the reported network. The publication does not disclose the terms of international partnerships or the requirements for prospective franchisees in Russia.

Khaliyat Khalid is presented as a chain of premium Khaliat Al-Nahl bakeries specialising in honey pastries. The brand is reported to have 139 franchised outlets and one company-owned location. When discussing this type of concept, it is worth asking specifically about production requirements, ingredients and how the product range would be maintained outside its home market.

Namq is a speciality coffee shop chain serving its own signature coffee and desserts. It has 33 outlets, 13 of which are franchised. Assessing the opportunity involves more than looking at the menu and interior design: it is also important to understand how responsibilities are divided between the franchisor and the local partner.

These figures describe the networks as presented in the exhibition announcement. They do not represent the number of restaurants, coffee shops or bakeries already operating in Russia.

Business programme to explore partnerships

Alongside the brand presentations, the programme includes a talk by Dr Khaled Al-Ghamdi, Chairman of the Saudi National Franchise Committee. It is scheduled for 29 September at 16:35 in the ‘Po svoim pravilam’ (‘On Your Own Terms’) hall.

The talk is titled ‘Franchising: A Bridge for Business Growth Between Saudi Arabia and Russia’. According to the announcement, the speaker will discuss Saudi brands’ international expansion and the prospects for partnerships between the two markets.

For visitors, the talk and discussions at the stand serve different purposes. The business session addresses international development in general, whereas the terms of an individual franchise need to be discussed with representatives of the relevant chain. The published programme provides no details of investment requirements, initial franchise fees, royalties or available territories for the five exhibitors.

Comparing these opportunities solely by outlet numbers would therefore be insufficient. During meetings, prospective partners should request the terms for operating in Russia, details of launch support and the requirements they would need to meet. Those answers will help move the discussion from a general introduction to the brand towards an assessment of a specific project.

When to visit and what to ask

The Saudi stand is scheduled to be open on all three days of Buybrand, from 29 September to 1 October. The opening hours given in the announcement are 10:00–18:00. The venue is the Vavilov Pavilion at the Timiryazev Centre, 6 Verkhnyaya Alleya, Building 1, Moscow.

Before meeting the brands, it is useful to prepare a short outline of your plans: the city you are considering, your preferred outlet format and the role you would expect to play in developing the chain. You should also establish whether the brand offers single-unit franchises or is seeking a different scale of partnership. The announcement does not include these details.

Practical takeaway: use Buybrand to meet these five Saudi concepts directly, but wait until you have the terms for Russia before deciding on a partnership. The size of an overseas network is a starting point for discussion, not a substitute for assessing the financial viability of an individual outlet.