Froyo in Egypt: History, Trends, & Shops

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Softie

History of Froyo & Current State of Froyo

Many froyo shops have opened and closed in Egypt over the years. In 2011, four friends founded the first froyo shop in Egypt, a homegrown, counter-serve concept called Maybe Two. The first location was in Cairo. Maybe Two opened three shops and closed in May 2013.

The rapid growth of froyo shops in Egypt started in 2012 and continued until 2015. Four Pinkberry locations opened in 2012. Other multinational froyo chains, including Cherry On Top, Red Mango, and Smoothie Factory, opened branches in Egypt during this time period.

Interestingly, TCBY opened a branch in Egypt in 1994, during the first wave of froyo and returned to Egypt with another branch in 2013, the second wave of froyo.

The number of self-serve vs. counter-serve froyo shops in Egypt has been about equal, and shops stay open about five years, on average. Most froyo shops opened in Cairo at large shopping malls. Pinkberry exited Egypt in 2024, but it did manage to stay open for twelve years.

The economy has made it challenging for store operators, with the foreign currency crisis of 2022, high levels of government debt (96.4% of GDP), and the devaluation of currency combined with record levels of inflation.  The population of Egypt is 107.78 million, with a GDP of $347.59 billion, and an inflation rate of 32.5%.

Today, there are eight froyo shops left, and they’re all relatively new (opening after 2022) and counter-serve.

Current Froyo Shops

  • Churrochou, 1 Tot Ankh Amoun, Smouha, Alexandria, has served authentic Spanish-style churros and froyo in Alexandria, Egypt since January 2023.
  • Roots & Rituals, Marassi, Gate 2, opened in 2024 with a focus on healthy foods, including frozen yogurt
  • Softie, 42 Abd Al Aziz Agamea, Abu an Nawatir, Sidi Gaber, Alexandria Governorate, serves soft cream (e.g., soft serve froyo and ice cream), taiyaki, waffles, pancakes, boba drinks, and more. The shop opened in 2022.
  • Softie, 4 Abd Al Aziz Agamea St., Roushdy, the second branch opened inside the Smouha Club in June 2023.
  • Yole, Ring Rd, Al Hay Al Asher, Nasr City, opened in May 2023. Yole is a multinational, counter-serve froyo chain known for its no sugar added froyo.
  • Yole, Block 12 26th of July Corridor, First Al Sheikh Zayed, Giza Governorate, opened at Majarrah Mall in Sheikh Zayed City in April 2024.
  • Yole, El Wahat Rd, First 6th of October, Giza Governorate, opened at Mall of Egypt in August 2023.
  • Yole, 4J5G+FJ2, طريق, Second New Cairo, Cairo Governorate, opened at Open Air Mall in Madinaty in September 2023.

Closed Froyo Shops

  • Cherry On Top, Citystars Mall, Masaken Al Mohandesin, Nasr City, Cairo Governorate, was the first Cherry On Top in Egypt; it opened in 2012.
  • Cherry On Top, 62 Road 9, (Beside Just Falafel) Cairo, Maadi was reviewed in 2014.
  • Cherry On Top, 65 Abdel Hamid Badawy St., Concorde El Salam Hotel Cairo, Misr El Gedeida, was a cupcake and froyo shop. The first IG post was in 2015 and the last in 2020.
  • Dippie Do,  Park Mall, شارع ال90 الجنوبي, New Cairo 1, Cairo Governorate 4740020, was a fruit and dessert shop in Cairo’s Park Mall that opened in 2019. The last IG post was made in 2020.
  • Dippie Do, 6 Ankara St., Sheraton Bldgs, Cairo, opened in 2013 and was counter-serve.
  • Maybe Two, 5, Aboul Feda St, Cairo, Zamalek, was the first froyo shop in Egypt. Positioned as a healthy dessert, the counter-serve offered four flavors of nonfat froyo. It opened in January 2011 and closed in 2013. The final message on Instagram said, “It gives me great sorrow and sadness to inform you all that all maybe two branches will close down this week, effective 30th May 2013. As you all know the first frozen yogurt chain in Egypt has been happily serving you since 5th January 2011 from Zamalek and expanded its network to Maadi and Tivoli Dome Heliopolis. Nevertheless, management has decided to close down its stores due to unprecedented events and instability our lovely Egypt is witnessing these days.”
  • Maybe Two, 60 rd. 9, Cairo, Maadi, closed in 2013. It either opened in 2011 or 2012.
  • Maybe Two Tivoli Dome Heliopolis, Omar Ibn El-Khattab, Almazah, Heliopolis, Cairo Governorate 4461160, Egypt, opened in 2011 or 2012 and closed in 2013.
  • Pinkberry, Phase 2, 2nd Floor, Omar Ibn El Khattab Street, Nasr City, Cairo, was the first Pinkberry to open in Egypt. It was open at Citystars Mall, a luxury shopping center in central Cairo, from 2012 – 2024.
  • Pinkberry, First 6th of October, EG-FYM, Cairo 3294001, at the Mall of Egypt was the second Pinkberry to open in Egypt, some time between 2017 – 2019. It either closed in 2023 or 2024.
  • Pinkberry, Ring Rd, New Cairo 3, Cairo Governorate 4730020, opened in 2021 and closed in 2024.
  • Pinkberry, Sheraton Al Matar, El Nozha, Cairo Governorate 4471434, Egypt – Sun City Mall opened in 2012 and may have closed in 2018.
  • Pinkberry, Maadi City Center (Ring Rd), Ma‘ādī al Khabīrī, Muḩāfaz̧at al Qāhirah was open at the Maadi City Center was open from 2012 – 2017.
  • Pinkberry, Cairo-Alex Desert Rd. (KM28), Madīnat as Sādis min Uktūbar, Muḩāfaz̧at al Jīzah, Egypt, was located inside the Dandy Mega Mall. The shop opened in 2012 and may have closed in 2015.
  • Red Mango, the multi-national chain that started in South Korea, opened at Citystars Mall in Nasr City, Cairo, in 2014. This counter-serve location also offered waffles, smoothies, juices, coffee, and parfaits. There was a review 11 months ago, but it seems like this location has closed.
  • Smoothie Factory, Festival City Mall, Cairo is no longer listed on the Smoothie Factory website. The last FB post was in 2020 and the first post in 2015.  The multinational smoothie chain offered smoothies, counter-serve frozen yogurt, and juices.
  • Smoothie Factory, Mirage Mall, Cairo opened after 2015 but don’t know when it opened or closed, but it probably closed in 2020
  • SweetFrog, 10 Road 218, Maadi, Cairo opened in Cairo in June 2015. The last IG post was in 2016.
  • SweetFrog Mall of Arabia, 6th of October, Cairo, probably opened in 2015.
  • TCBY opened its first branch in Egypt in Cairo. The shop opened in 1994 and we have no idea how long it was open.
  • TCBY, Club 33, 33 Abou El Feda Street Zamalek, opened in 2013, and the last FB post was in 2014.
  • Yoggy’s, X2C8+Q6P, Mall of Egypt, First 6th of October, Giza Governorate, the self-serve froyo shop was reviewed from 2017 – 2022.
  • Yoggy’s Mall of Arabia may have been open from 2014-2018
  • Yoggy’s Citystars may have been open from 2014- 2018
  • Yoggy’s Americana Plaza may have been open from 2014-2022
  • Yogorino, The Park Mall, Teseen Street, New Cairo Cairo, Cairo Governorate, opened in March 2021 and may have closed in 2022 or 2023. The Italian chain offered frozen yogurt, coffee, pancakes, gelato and more.

Want to see the froyo shops in Egypt? We collected nearly 200 images on our Pinterest board, Froyo in Egypt.