In a strategic move that drives the leading international franchise snack brand into new global territories, Doc Popcorn announced today that it signed its first master franchise agreement in Oman.

Doc Popcorn awarded the master franchise agreement to Muscat Golden Skies LLC, a franchise partner group composed of Adil Nasser Al Sharyani and Adel Ali Lawati. The two business partners from Muscat each bring extensive backgrounds in commercial and residential real estate; Nasser Al Sharyani and Ali Lawati also have backgrounds in construction and engineering, respectively.

With a goal to bring at least seven locations to Oman over the next five years, Nasser Al Sharyani and Ali Lawati plan to open a PopShop or PopKiosk as their first location in a Muscat shopping mall. The master franchisees then plan to open a combination of Doc Popcorn’s models, including PopCarts in Muscat and elsewhere to further establish the brand throughout the country.

“It’s with great pride that we introduce the first ever branded popcorn operation to the Sultanate of Oman. Doc Popcorn will bring an entirely new snacking experience to the country. The fresh-faced brand is certainly not your grandfather’s popcorn,” says Adil Al Saharyani. “We were drawn to Doc Popcorn not only because of the universal appeal of popcorn as a snack, but also by its simple and scalable business model.”

In addition to the classic core Doc Popcorn flavors, such as Sweet Butter and Caramel Bliss to Hoppin’ Jalapeño and Cheesy Cheddar, Oman’s locations will eventually offer fresh-popped flavors unique to the local flavor palate.

“The entire Doc Popcorn family welcomes Adil and Adel and looks forward to seeing their first location get open and popping,” says Rob Israel, founder and “Big Pop” of Doc Popcorn. “This Master Franchise Agreement is a milestone for Doc Popcorn as we expand into our first Middle Eastern country. We believe the GCC region is a good fit for the brand, and expect to continue our growth in the region as Doc Popcorn proves to be successful.”

In addition to inking the Oman master franchise agreement, Doc Popcorn has experienced a year of international growth milestones including the opening of the second of 10 planned locations in Japan, and the signing of a master franchise agreement in Chile and Peru.