Today we’d like to introduce you to Mansour Arem.
Mansour, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
We are two Tunisian American brothers born and raised in Houston, TX. Mansour’s a food scientist and brewer and Karim a data scientist; both turned crafters of artisanal Tunisian food products. Food was always an important part of our upbringing as it helped us remain closely connected to our Tunisian roots despite mostly growing up in the United States. Our mother played a huge role in this through her cooking that mostly remained traditional and simplistic.
We launched towards the end of 2020 in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic as a 100% e-commerce business and, over the years, have focused a lot of our energy on improving and scaling our operations in order to satisfy a wider American audience while keeping our product recipes legit. We started out with traditional harissa, which is Tunisia’s national condiment and a ubiquitous component in Tunisian cookery and, by extension, identity. We later launched with ready-to-eat shakshuka products with the idea of providing a no-frills way to enjoy a delicious, authentic, grandma-approved meal in the comfort of every American’s home. Over the years, harissa and shakshuka, both Tunisian in origin, have unfortunately been bastardized and culturally/historically diluted in the American food scene, which is why we take pride in our craft. We are not just selling food; we are on a mission to highlight and celebrate our Tunisian roots.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s definitely been a long-winded learning experience because we launched our business around a cultural mission, not necessarily a business-driven one. That’s why we started really small and iterated as we grew, from our communications strategy to our operational activities, including but not limited to manufacturing. Conversely, it is precisely because we took those challenges in an iterative manner that we have been able to get to where we are today. For us, Zwïta is a long-term endeavor; it is about our core mission of making Tunisian food mainstream without bastardizing it to appeal to the masses.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are Tunisian food manufacturers, and we are proud of the fact that we’ve been able to marry the constraints and challenges of manufacturing with the authenticity of our family recipes to create convenient products that are 100% grandma-approved but also greatly enjoyed by anybody who is discovering them for the first time. Every product that leaves our door is subjected to strict food safety and quality standards, and we take pride in the fact that in spite of the convenience we offer, we are not cutting corners on quality or authenticity. That is a core element of our branding strategy.
What matters most to you? Why?
For us, it is about cultural appreciation and respect. It is about resisting cultural erasure. For so long, we have witnessed a lot of misinformation and whitewashing of our foods in the American food space, and that has been a huge driver for us because ultimately, these foods are tied to our identity, culture, stories, and history.
Contact Info:
- Website: zwitafoods.com
- Instagram: zwitafoods
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zwitafoods/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdI9lDy0RU7cFlKbAkwzp9Q
Image Credits
Rafael Elorza
Nina Roberts
