Algeria’s market is ripe for American fast-food franchise development as it diversifies its economy away from oil and gas-based investment, according to Atlanta franchise specialist Bachir Mihoubi.

Mr. Mihoubi, an Algeria-born international business attorney, led a Sept. 13 Internet videoconference where he offered his expertise on American franchise development to 13 members of the World Trade Center in Algiers, the country’s capital.

In an interview with GlobalAtlanta after the videoconference, Mr. Mihoubi said that the Algerian market would be especially lucrative for American fast food and service industry companies.

“There is no doubt that the quick service restaurant industry will work very well in Algeria,” Mr. Mihoubi said, citing the industry’s success in Egypt and Morocco.

A predominately Muslim country, Algeria has received most of its American investment in the oil and gas industries, according to the U.S. State Department, which cited the country as having the seventh largest natural gas reserves and the 14th largest oil reserves in the world.

But both the United States and Algerian governments are working to diversify their trade and investment relationship away from the oil and gas sector.

As a result, Mr. Mihoubi, who has spent more than 10 years helping U.S. companies open franchises abroad, was approached by the U.S. Commerce Department three years ago to help prepare North African markets for American franchises.

In the three years that Mr. Mihoubi has spent working with the commerce department, he has helped to create the Association for Franchise Development in Algeria, whose members attended the recent videoconference.

The association, which encourages the implementation of new foreign brands in Algeria, is organizing its second annual Algerian Franchise Forum in Algiers in November.

Some 30 foreign companies are expected to attend the conference, although its organizers are still trying to get American representation at the trade show-like event.

While Algeria presents lucrative opportunities for American multinationals, U.S. companies will still have to be “vigilant” in the country, consistently communicating with local franchise owners, said Mr. Mihoubi.

Since Algeria’s franchise market is still developing, foreign multinationals and local franchise owners are just beginning to learn how to interact.

“The good news is that the market is not yet penetrated fully. But the bad news is that big brands have not come in, and the market still has to be developed,” Mr. Mihoubi said, referring to the fast-food industry.

In addition to working in Algeria with the Commerce Department, Mr. Mihoubi has also conducted franchise development seminars in Egypt and Tunisia.

After heading up the international development departments for Caribou Coffee Co., Cinnabon Inc. and Seattle’s Best Coffee Inc., Mr. Mihoubi opened the consulting firm FranCounsel Group this summer.

FranCounsel works to promote U.S.-based brands internationally.

Mr. Mihoubi led the Algiers franchising seminar from the videoconferencing facilities of Decatur-based international business attorney Richard Alembik.

For more information on Mr. Alembik’s videoconferencing services, visit www.videohandshake.com, or contact him at (404) 373-0205.

Contact Mr. Mihoubi at bmihoubi@francounselgroup.com or (404) 233-9808.

For more information on FranCounsel, visit www.francounselgroup.com.