Austin-based Afia Launches Falafel in Popular Mediterranean Spice Blend Za’atar
Mediterranean food company Afia, which is headquartered in Austin, introduced its sixth falafel flavor today as an ode to the founder’s favorite spice blend - za’atar. Afia Za’atar Falafel will be available at Sprouts stores starting September 15th, retailing for $5.99 per bag. The company plans to expand the product offering to other retailers in 2023 and online at afiafoods.com.
“The launch of our Za’atar Falafel is a sign of how far our company has grown in the five years since we launched at our first farmer’s market in Austin,” says Founder and President Farrah Moussallati Sibai. “We needed to educate shoppers on how to serve falafel in those early days. Now, there’s been an explosion of Mediterranean trends and general interest, as people are discovering za’atar in their own kitchens.”
“There’s so much enthusiasm for this flavor when I preview it for people,” says Moussallati Sibai. “I look forward to introducing it to others who are trying it for the first time. I promise they will be hooked.”
Za’atar is a traditional Middle Eastern spice blend that consists of a range of spices, including dried thyme, oregano, sumac, toasted sesame seeds, and salt. Afia’s spice blend is proprietary but as with many of their products seeks to update traditional favorites.
The Za’atar Falafel variety are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, made of all-natural ingredients, and convenient to prepare.
Moussallati Sibai, who is of Syrian and British descent, created Afia in 2017 alongside her husband, Yassin Sibai, using recipes from the little black book her mother-in-law brought with her when she fled the war in Syria. Moussallati Sibai, who had left her home country previously, understood how food has played such an important connection to home. This inspired her to launch Afia, introducing the American consumer to updated Mediterranean favorites.
Afia was recently honored by the Austin Chamber and SXSW with their A List award for entrepreneurship and Moussallati Sibai was awarded the 2022 Austin Business Journal’s Women in Business award. The company has nearly tripled distribution since late 2020, adding Whole Foods, Publix, Giant Landover, Giant/Martins, Harris Teeter, and Safeway Northern California to their roster of more than 3,000 retail locations nationwide.
Details
September 22, 2022
Name: Lori Lefevre Wells
Phone: 917.627.0803
Email: lori@afiafoods.com