Happy Belly Food Group's Via Cibo Italian Fast-Casual Restaurant Signs a 10 Unit Development Agreement in Alberta

Executive Summary

• Happy Belly Food Group Inc. signed an area development agreement to open ten (10) new franchised Via Cibo Italian restaurants in Alberta.
• The agreement expands the brand’s footprint to a total of eight operating locations and 25 sites under development in Alberta, contributing to Happy Belly’s portfolio of 656 contractually committed franchise locations across Canada.
• Management highlighted the deal as evidence of strong market confidence and a catalyst for continued multi‑unit growth within the company’s asset‑light franchising model.

Key Details

• Agreement Scope: Ten (10) additional Via Cibo units to be developed in Alberta under an area development contract with Happy Belly’s Western Canada developer.
• Current Presence: Five existing Via Cibo locations operating in Alberta; eight total open after the new agreement, with 25 sites in various stages of development province‑wide.
• Portfolio Impact: The new units add to Happy Belly’s overall pipeline of 656 contractually committed retail franchise locations across its brand portfolio.
• Strategic Rationale: Management cites Alberta’s population growth, urban density, and dining culture as drivers for the expansion and reinforces the company’s “asset‑light” growth strategy.
• Leadership Comments:
• Sean Black, CEO – emphasized accelerated growth, confidence in market opportunity, and the scalability of the franchising system.
• Shawn Moniz, President & Interim CFO – reiterated the predictable, disciplined growth engine delivering measurable results for shareholders.

Notable Quotes

“Via Cibo is entering its next phase of accelerated growth… This agreement further strengthens our Western Canada footprint and underscores the momentum we continue to build across our franchising platform.” – Sean Black, CEO

“Our predictable and disciplined growth engine continues to deliver measurable results as we expand our brands across Canada and create long‑term value for our shareholders.” – Sean Black, CEO

Materiality Assessment: Material – Positive (the agreement represents a significant expansion of the company’s franchise network, indicating future revenue growth and strategic execution.)