Abbas Haidar, founder of Munchies House, with two of the brand's products. (Credit: Iva Kovic Chahine)
In the basement of a building in Hazmieh, on the outskirts of Beirut, Abbas Haidar runs the show as the sugar master.
It’s a one-man operation, he said, as he handles everything for Munchies House — from design to marketing to sales.
What started as a humble pancake and waffle stand in 2012 has grown into a supplier of key ingredients for homemade pastries.
The goal is clear: Munchies House hopes its products will be on supermarket shelves one day.
Munchies House premises in Hazmieh. (Credit: Abbas Haidar)
Since then, whipped cream, chocolate chips, sugar paste and even cake molds have adorned the shelves of numerous supermarkets across the country, also accessible online through their dedicated website and various mobile applications.
Twelve years after the launch of his company, Haidar’s enterprise now accommodates a dozen employees at its fresh locale in Hazmieh. Here, he delights in receiving guests and elucidating the Munchies House process.
Fun cuisine
It all started in 2012 when Haidar, after six years in consumer goods sales in Saudi Arabia, saw a great opportunity in the Lebanese food market and decided to return home.
With his savings, he launched the first version of Munchies House — a unique kiosk in a Beirut shopping center. There, he offered what he called “fun cuisine,” including pancakes, waffles, hot dogs and other tasty treats.
The business was a great success, leading to the opening of four more outlets in different parts of the city. This rapid expansion necessitated a standardization of the ingredients used.
“We had to devise a standardized mix for our crepe batter to ensure speed and consistency,” explained Haidar, a native of the Bekaa area.
The resulting mixture, which evolved into his signature “crêpe mix,” comprised a powder requiring only the addition of water and eggs.
“Nowadays, it’s as simple as adding water,” he said.
But it was in 2015 that Haidar experienced a turning point. Up until then, he had been assisting his friends in the restaurant industry with his mix. However, it was during a meal at a restaurant where he ordered a waffle that he observed the pastry chef using the Munchies House mix for its preparation.
“Without needing to intervene, I realized that my product was widely used in the sector,” he said.
The entrepreneur then decided to focus on this aspect of his business, converting one of his kiosks into an operational center for this new venture.
“We refined our mixes, tailoring them to their specific purposes,” Haidar explained. “Our supermarket headquarters has become a hub for research, storage and distribution all in one.”
One-stop shop
This new project for the company marked a natural progression toward the creation of a one-stop-shop concept for patisserie.
Munchies House was gradually developing its recipes for complementary products such as sugar pastes and spreads, all of which are made in Lebanon at a specialist supplier’s factory in Zahle (Bekaa) from imported materials.
Although initially intended for wholesale to restaurants and other food retailers in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, these products were set to enter the retail market in 2018 via an online shop.
This proved to be a pivotal move for Munchies House. A year later, amidst the onslaught of Lebanon’s economic and financial crisis compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, Haidar’s company found itself in a fortuitous position.
The packing area at Munchies House HQ in Hazmieh. (Credit: Iva Kovic Chahine)
“Online sales surged. It was unprecedented,” he said. “Established imported brands faced disappearance from the shelves, creating a significant opening for us in the market.”
Amidst the periods of confinement enforced due to the pandemic, many Lebanese found solace in their kitchens, as well as on social media platforms. Recognizing this trend, Munchies House delved into influencer marketing on these channels.
“In 2019, we sent our products to NoGarlicNoOnions, a prominent food influencer. At the time, we had 1,700 Instagram followers. The day after his post, our following skyrocketed to 8,000. The response was overwhelming,” Abbas recounted.
Cross-Atlantic direction
Having already secured placement in numerous supermarkets, the Munchies House brand caught the attention of the Obegi Group, a key player in Lebanon’s consumer goods distribution scene, in 2021.
The Obegi Group assumed responsibility for distributing the brand, elevating its status to a significant contender in the market and securing its presence in leading Lebanese supermarket chains. Subsequently, in 2022, Munchies House unveiled a sub-brand named ‘Namliye’, specializing in home-canned products and a variety of seeds.
“With Namliye, we aim to continue catering to modern mothers, who form the core of our customer base,” Haidar said. “We’ve evolved into a comprehensive destination, fulfilling all the culinary needs of our busy clientele.”
The "Namliye" sub-brand shelf at Munchies House in Hazmieh. (Credit: Iva Kovic Chahine)
Haidar and his team show no signs of slowing down.
“Every profit is reinvested directly into the brand,” he said. “We’re constantly on the lookout for fresh opportunities in the market to expand and better serve our customers.”
Always seeking new horizons, the entrepreneur is now eyeing exports, with a particular focus on Dubai and the United States.
With approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market food in the US, along with several ISO certifications obtained earlier this year for the quality of its production process, Munchies House is poised for takeoff.
This article was originally published in L'Orient-Le Jour. Translated by Sahar Ghoussoub.