Happy Belly Food Group's Via Cibo Italian Fast-Casual Restaurant Signs a 10 Unit Development Agreement in Alberta

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 15, 2025) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands, is pleased to announce that it has signed an area development agreement for the province of Alberta for the contractual opening of ten (10) franchised Via Cibo Italian restaurants ("Via Cibo"), serving fast-casual Italian foods crafted with the finest traditional ingredients, offering a chef-driven culinary experience for anyone seeking fresh, authentic flavor.

"Via Cibo is entering its next phase of accelerated growth. With five locations already operating in Alberta, the execution of an additional 10-unit development agreement in the province reflects our strong conviction in the market opportunity and highlights the significant potential for continued multi-unit expansion within our existing franchising system," said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly. "We are excited to partner with our strong Western Canada area developer once again to expand Via Cibo across Alberta, leveraging the brand's proven performance, scalable operating model, and broad consumer appeal. This agreement further strengthens our Western Canada footprint and underscores the momentum we continue to build across our franchising platform.

"Alberta offers a compelling combination of strong population growth, urban density, and a vibrant dining culture that aligns exceptionally well with Via Cibo's fast-casual Italian concept. This area development agreement reflects both the confidence we have in Via Cibo as a brand and the confidence sophisticated franchise partners continue to place in Happy Belly's disciplined, asset-light growth strategy.

"With 8 locations now open and 25 in development, Via Cibo contributes to Happy Belly's broader portfolio of 656 contractually committed retail franchise locations across multiple emerging brands in various stages of development, construction, and operation. Our predictable and disciplined growth engine continues to deliver measurable results as we expand our brands across Canada and create long-term value for our shareholders.

"We are just getting started," added Sean Black.

About Via Cibo
Via Cibo, an all-franchised system, is an asset-light entity with established street-front real estate locations in both Ontario and Alberta. Authentic Italian Street food, made with the best traditional ingredients for those looking for fast, fresh food that respects tradition via a chef driven full-service restaurant without the full service. At Via Cibo you can enjoy an authentic Italian meal that does not require hours of your time or a great amount of money. Via Cibo is a fast casual restaurant which offers an experience tailored to your needs. Order from one of our greeters and our servers deliver your fresh authentic dishes to your table in under 10min. Via Cibo is the Italian food Italians talk about. Our kitchen is open, smell the food, watch the cooks, have a bite with friends and share in our love for food!

About Happy Belly Food Group
Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada.