In a major move to digitise and personalise the customer experience, Famous Brands, Africa’s largest restaurant franchisor, has announced a strategic partnership with MoEngage, a Customer Data and Engagement Platform (CDEP).
The collaboration is set to revolutionise how the company’s iconic brands, including Mugg & Bean, Wimpy, and Milky Lane, build customer loyalty and drive repeat business.
The initiative focuses on unifying customer data from multiple sources to seamlessly connect digital interactions with in-restaurant transactions. A key objective is to enhance the performance of loyalty programmes by encouraging both the earning and spending of points, creating a continuous and rewarding customer journey.
The partnership is already delivering significant results for its flagship brand, Mugg & Bean.
The company has automated its entire voucher engagement process, moving from manual, time-consuming campaigns to a scalable, AI-driven strategy. This allows for targeted communication via push notifications, in-app messages, SMS, and email, leading to improved redemption rates and a complete view of customer behavior.
“As we continue to digitise the customer experience across our portfolio, we needed a partner who could manage the technical complexity of our ecosystem and offer dependable support,” says Toni Joubert, Divisional Marketing Executive at Famous Brands.
“MoEngage has helped us integrate different systems into a single, seamless platform. This has enabled us to modernise communications, strengthen the customer lifecycle and give our brands the tools to encourage repeat visits.”
The impact on Mugg & Bean’s marketing efficiency and customer outreach has been transformative.
The brand now executes targeted campaigns across the entire customer lifecycle, from welcoming new customers and promoting menu items to sending birthday rewards and reactivating dormant patrons.
“The integration of MoEngage into our tech stack has been seamless and has fundamentally changed the way we operate,” says Deeolan Govender, Marketing Executive at Mugg & Bean.
“What was once a manual, time-consuming process is now automated and efficient. We can engage customers on their preferred digital channels and see the impact directly in their purchase behaviour.”
For MoEngage, this partnership marks a significant expansion within South Africa’s vibrant food and retail sector. “Partnering with an iconic brand like Famous Brands is a strong step forward for our work in South Africa,” said Kunal Badiani, Vice President – Business and Growth, Middle East and Africa, MoEngage. “Their commitment to creating unique customer experiences aligns perfectly with our mission to help brands build lasting relationships. We look forward to contributing meaningfully to their growth journey.”
