Omani Restaurant Brands Sign Franchise Deals Abroad as Seven Fries Opens in New Delhi
Two Seven Fries branches opened in the Indian capital in May and three master franchise agreements were signed for Omani brands, ahead of a new Chamber of Commerce programme for 26 more.
Omani fast-food brands took their franchise ambitions abroad in May 2026. At the 22nd International Franchise & Retail Show in New Delhi, held on 16 and 17 May, two Seven Fries branches opened and three master franchise agreements were signed for Omani brands, Muscat Daily reported on 18 May. The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) took part through its Franchise Center, together with the SME development authority, and the show featured 12 Omani brands.
Haitham bin Saif Al Habsi, owner of Bomba Burrito, signed a master franchise agreement for India with Gaurav Marya, chairman of Franchise India. Saif bin Mohammed Al Riyami, owner of Shawarma & Musahab and Joaan, signed two master franchise agreements covering Saudi Arabia and Egypt; Times of Oman named Abeer Julaih, chief executive of National Franchise and Franchise International, as the other party.
Seven Fries: from Seeb to six countries
Seven Fries launched in Seeb, in Muscat, in 2021. Its founder, Issa bin Saleh Al Aghbari, said at the show that the brand had expanded into six countries in a short time and was preparing to enter the United States through franchising; the reports do not name the six. The brand’s first overseas branch opened in Erbil, in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, in May 2025. Muscat Daily then reported franchise agreements in Iraq and Pakistan, an exclusive contract for India and a target of up to 300 Indian branches.
On the American plan, Syed Iqbal of Shaheen Group spoke at the launch of the Chamber’s latest programme in June about expanding Seven Fries in the United States under a master franchise agreement with Al Saleh Ideal Projects, according to a report the Oman Daily Observer wrote and Zawya republished.
A programme behind the deals
That programme, the fifth edition of OCCI’s Franchise Programme, was launched on 21 June. It aims to develop 26 Omani brands, with implementation scheduled to begin in September 2026 and run for eight months. OCCI’s chairman, Faisal bin Abdullah Al Rawas, described it as a strategic initiative to help small and medium-sized enterprises and national brands grow, in line with the aim of Oman Vision 2040 to diversify the economy. The Observer’s report also cited Nomad Inn, a hotel and resort brand, which has signed three franchise agreements inside Oman.
Eng Hamoud bin Salem Al Saadi, OCCI’s second vice chairman and head of its Franchise Center committee, said the programme had opened new avenues for Omani companies through franchise partnerships. “Omani brands today possess the capability to expand and invest abroad thanks to their quality, operational efficiency and competitive business models,” he said, according to Muscat Daily.
The reports give no outlet counts and no financial terms for the new agreements, so it is too early to say how many of them will become restaurants. The traffic also runs the other way: regional chains are entering Muscat through local partners, as in our report on Pickl’s first Oman restaurant, and our analysis of the franchise pipeline connecting London, Dubai and Riyadh looks at the model across the wider region.
Sources & fact-check4
- Omani brands seal franchise deals abroadMuscat Daily, 18 May 2026
- Omani brand Seven Fries opens first Indian outletTimes of Oman, 17 May 2026
- Franchise model to drive Omani SME expansionZawya (Oman Daily Observer), 21 June 2026
- Omani brand Seven Fries expands globally with first outlet in IraqMuscat Daily, 28 May 2025
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