Photo provided by the establishment
Frozen Greek yogurt is the latest addition to Beirut’s dessert scene, with Kryo having opened its doors in Saifi Village in mid-August. The new spot, launched by Ali Hamade, Ali Mansour and Karim Mezher, is built around a quick, customizable, and lighter alternative to traditional desserts.
Kryo was created by three partners: Ali Hamade, basketball player Ali Mansour (who plays for al-Riyadi club) and Karim Mezher. The trio aimed to create a “quick yogurt shop,” a format that is still relatively underdeveloped in the Lebanese market: “We wanted to create a product based on a quick and healthy dessert,” Hamade explains.
To build the concept, they hired a Greek chef who came to Lebanon to work on the various recipes.
The choice of Greece was a natural fit. Kryo adopts the country’s visual codes, with decor inspired by Greek culture and a focus on Greek frozen yogurt. Even the name of the shop evokes that atmosphere. The brand’s slogan makes it even clearer: “A cup of Greece.”
Kryo occupies about 65 square meters. The space has seating for about ten inside and around 15 outside, totaling about 25 seats. However, the venue was designed mainly for takeout sales.
This configuration helps limit the surface area needed, while promoting a fast-consumption model that fits a neighborhood where customers can pick up dessert or yogurt before continuing with their day.
The business employs five to six people. It is currently open from 1 p.m. to midnight, and soon will extend its hours to start from 11 a.m.
For this first location, the partners invested about $300,000. They expect a return on investment in about three years. The project relies on the partners’ own funding, and they also manage the place themselves.
Kryo is not confined to traditional frozen Greek yogurt. Recipes revolve around several bases: frozen Greek yogurt, sorbet and ice cream — including a lactose-free frozen Greek yogurt option.
The “healthy” positioning is the other key pillar of the concept. The yogurt is described as high in protein and relatively low in calories. The shop promotes the nutritional content of its products, especially their protein content.
Customers can then build their own dessert with various toppings. Prices vary depending on size and toppings: the small with toppings costs $7, the medium $10.5, and the large $14. Without toppings, a small plain serving is at about $5.5.
For Ali Hamade, Kryo is a new milestone. His family has worked in the bakery and pastry business for several generations. He represents the third generation in this line of work.
Development is not limited to Lebanon. Hamade is also preparing Melu, a new bread project in Qatar set to open in the third week of October.
The decision to invest in Beirut while also pursuing projects in the Gulf illustrates a two-pronged strategy: maintain a local presence while seeking new growth opportunities abroad. Kryo, within this portfolio, is an attempt to diversify into a more specialized dessert market, with a concept that requires less space and staff.
In Saifi Village, the challenge now is to turn a product that is still relatively new for Lebanese habits — frozen Greek yogurt served as a customizable dessert — into a regular treat, somewhere between a snack, ice cream, and a healthy bite.
