Cairo – Maii Abdo:
In a highly competitive food market where many restaurant concepts appear and disappear quickly, Hawawshino has managed to establish itself as a distinctive brand by combining quality, discipline, and a clear operational vision.
What makes the story more compelling is that the brand was not built on rapid expansion or media hype, but on experience, learning from loss, and a strong partnership rooted in long-standing friendship.
Hawawshino is owned by partners Ayman and Osama Nasr, whose relationship began long before business entered the picture.
They have been friends since preparatory school, a bond that later evolved into a professional partnership based on trust, clarity, and shared values.
Ayman firmly believes that partnership with friends is not a risk when there is agreement, transparency, and a solid foundation, emphasizing that misunderstanding—not friendship—is the real threat to any business venture.
The brand officially launched in October 2022, approximately three years ago, initially as a side project alongside Ayman’s main job. The early phase of Hawawshino was challenging and financially demanding.
Contrary to common assumptions in food startups, the initial losses were not caused by low pricing, but rather by poor operational control, excessive waste of raw materials, inaccurate quantity management, and weak oversight during the early stages.
These factors resulted in significant losses that forced the founders to reassess their entire approach.
This difficult period became a turning point. Through trial and error, the founders realized that success in the food industry is not driven solely by taste, but by strict cost control, precise calculations, and a balance between product quality and profitability.
This realization led to a strategic shift in management and operations, laying the groundwork for long-term sustainability.One of the most critical decisions in the brand’s journey was establishing a central kitchen to prepare meat and sausage away from individual branches.
This step aimed to ensure consistent quality, standardized taste, and full control over raw materials across all locations.
Although operating a central kitchen came with high costs, it reflected a long-term vision focused on product integrity rather than short-term profit. To offset these costs, expansion became a necessity rather than a luxury, prompting the opening of additional branches in Alexandria.
Not all expansion attempts were successful. After nearly a year of continuous losses, the founders made the difficult decision to close several branches, including locations in Bahary, Edko, and Al-Bitash. These closures were not seen as failures, but as strategic corrections that allowed the company to focus its resources on profitable and stable locations.
This phase demonstrated a rare level of managerial maturity, prioritizing sustainability over appearance.
Today, Hawawshino operates several branches across Alexandria, including Moharam Bek, Smouha, Mohamed Naguib, Hanoville, and Raml Station, in addition to its most recent branch in Korba, Cairo, which represents the brand’s first step into the capital and a new phase of growth.
What truly sets Hawawshino apart is its product philosophy. The brand relies exclusively on fresh red meat sourced from shoulder and neck cuts, without using fillers such as soy. A carefully calculated fat ratio is maintained to preserve the authentic hawawshi flavor while ensuring the product remains light and comfortable for customers.
Beyond the classic hawawshi, the menu includes innovative variations such as pastrami hawawshi, chicken hawawshi, and cheese mixes, all served in the traditional toasted bread that defines the experience.Over time, Hawawshino evolved from a simple restaurant into a structured company with accounting, human resources, customer service, and call center departments.
One of the brand’s most notable practices is its after-sales service, where customers are contacted the day following their order to evaluate food quality, temperature, delivery service, and overall experience. This level of follow-up remains rare in the food industry and reflects a deep commitment to customer satisfaction.
For Ayman and Osama, success is defined by focus, discipline, and planning. They believe that the difference between an ordinary entrepreneur and a successful one lies in the ability to calculate every step, follow a clear plan, and remain committed to ethical standards.
Quality, in their view, is non-negotiable, even if compromising it could yield faster profits.The founders measure success not by sales figures alone, but by customer loyalty. Seeing customers return repeatedly is, for them, the strongest confirmation that the brand is moving in the right direction.
Looking ahead, Ayman and Osama aim to transform Hawawshino into the leading hawawshi brand, built on consistency, integrity, and a business model that values long-term growth over short-term gains.
