Mona Lisa Experience: The premium street dessert brand standing out internationally
In a market of organized dessert brands and frozen desserts, which exceeds $100 billion worldwide and is among the most dynamic categories in modern food service, new concepts are being developed to capitalize on the steadily growing demand for quality products and contemporary consumption experiences. In this environment, brands have emerged that are recording significant growth rates and investing in building a strong market presence.
The greek brand – Mona Lisa Experience belongs to this category. It is celebrating 5 years since its founding this year, having recorded a dynamic growth path and evolving into a premium street dessert brand that is gradually building its place among modern international concepts. Its growth is based on differentiation through the consumer experience, a strong aesthetic identity and the strategic choice of locations.
Mona Lisa Experience is part of the H&G Group, a greek group that has been recording global growth in recent years in food service, immersive experiences, and entertainment through the creation of sophisticated concepts designed around the consumer experience. With a strong presence and growing activity in international markets, the group develops brands with expansion potential, with Mona Lisa Experience drawing on its accumulated know-how in store development and the creation of consumption destinations.
The philosophy of the H&G Group focuses on creating concepts that are not limited to a single product, but build a complete commercial ecosystem around the brand. Mona Lisa Experience is one expression of this business strategy, with Thanasis Anyfantis, Irakleis Zisimopoulos and Sakis Tanimanidis behind the approach, sharing the goal of creating a sweet destination that stands apart in a highly competitive market.
From a dessert shop to a complete destination for Indulgence
The creation of Mona Lisa Experience was based on one of the most contemporary consumer trends: today’s consumers are looking for overall experiences rather than just a quality product. With this philosophy, the brand was designed from the start as a space that combines handmade gelato and chocolate creations with an environment that enhances the visit and turns eating sweets into a small daily pleasure.
At the same time, Mona Lisa Experience has developed a clear premium and luxury character, both in concept and in products, investing in high-quality raw materials, refined aesthetics and an experience that goes beyond the limits of a traditional dessert concept. In this context, it has the only chocolate production line that starts from the raw bean and ends with the final product, with the entire process unfolding in front of the public, as part of an open laboratory concept that further strengthens the brand’s premium and experiential character.
The choice of name and the aesthetic reference to the Mona Lisa are not accidental. They are part of an identity that seeks to connect the product with emotion and the memory of the experience. In this context, elements such as the impressive chocolate waterfall serve as a signature point of reference for the experience. After all, in today’s food service market, the image, atmosphere and overall experience of a store are now just as important as the quality of the product itself.
The product strategy behind the growth
Mona Lisa Experience’s product strategy is a key pillar of its growth. The brand has invested in building a menu that addresses different consumption moments throughout the day and the year, strengthening the concept’s appeal beyond seasonality. The product range includes gelato, chocolate concepts, cookies and street desserts, such as waffles, pancakes and other on-the-go sweet offerings, with particular emphasis on its signature products, with the handmade popsicles standing out as the brand’s main commercial ambassadors.
At the same time, the introduction of vegan and sugar-free options, as well as products suitable for consumers with alternative dietary preferences, is part of the strategy of adapting to new consumption trends, which are a key growth factor in the modern food market.
The store network and commercial footprint
The growth of Mona Lisa Experience followed a model of selective expansion, with an emphasis on locations of high commercial value and heavy tourist or urban foot traffic. Its presence in markets such as Athens and Corfu has allowed the brand to reach beyond the local public to international consumers through tourism, while in 2025 the first step of international expansion took place with the opening of a store in Sofia. According to the brand’s strategy, and after 5 years of presence, the concept’s success relies on creating locations that function as experience destinations, boosting both spontaneous visits and the momentum of brand awareness through social media.
Next steps and expansion strategy
Continuing its growth path, Mona Lisa Experience is focusing on geographical expansion and the continuous evolution of its concept, with the aim of creating a brand with an international presence. Within the broader ecosystem of the Hans & Gretel Group, Mona Lisa Experience seeks to capitalize on the momentum that experiential food brands currently enjoy, aiming to become another Greek concept that manages to gain an international footprint.