The Cairo-based coffee chain has promoted its General Manager with the task of driving significant sales growth
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Cilantro’s Ahram Mall outlet in Giza | Photo credit: Cilantro/Facebook
Cairo-based coffee chain Cilantro has appointed Mohamed El-Shazly as its new CEO.
El-Shazly joined Cilantro in May 2019 as Operations Director and was promoted to General Manager and appointed to the coffee chain’s Board of Directors in December 2022.
In a LinkedIn post, Cilantro said El-Shazly has been a key figure in driving digital transformation initiatives, modernising outlets and fostering a strong team culture among both corporate and store staff.
“It’s been an honour to be part of this journey and I’m inspired every day by the passion, creativity and dedication of our team. Together we’ve redefined what Cilantro stands for, building a brand that not only serves great coffee but also creates meaningful experiences for our customers. As CEO, I’m deeply committed to fostering our team’s growth and development,” El-Shazly said.
As CEO, El-Shazly is tasked with progressing the coffee chain’s ambitious goal to increase revenues fivefold ‘in the coming years’ while maintaining strong market share of Egypt’s branded coffee shop market, which currently stands at 8%.
Founded in 2000, Cilantro is the third largest branded coffee chain in Egypt with 61 stores, behind Starbucks and McCafé which operate 79 and 70 outlets respectively. World Coffee Portal’s Project Café Middle East 2025 report forecasts that the total Egyptian branded coffee shop market, which currently comprises over 760 outlets, will surpass 1,000 sites in 2029.