Originally from Morocco, Soufiane Et Tijani grew up in a family and culture where food is a source of celebration and enjoyment and with a background in hospitality he wanted to bring authentic cuisine to New Zealand. Established in September 2015, Besaha initially started out with a range of spices as they are used so much in Moroccan and Mediterranean cooking, preserved lemons and Ghriba which is a gluten free Moroccan cookie. “Our focus is always on authenticity and quality, meaning many of our products are more labour intensive to produce but the difference can be tasted in the final product,” said Soufiane. “Our philosophy is to create foods and kitchen provisions that showcase this region’s cuisine.” The team spoke to Soufiane about his plans for the business going forward.
What is the current product range and how does it stand out in the market from other products?
“We currently have a range of spices and sweets on the market. Our spice range includes Ras El Hanout. Chermoula, Moroccan BBQ and Za’atar. Our spice range is unique as all of our spices are roasted and ground individually, then blended. The benefit to this is you get the full flavour of the spices intensity and balanced flavours you don’t have to use as much when cooking. Our sweet range includes Chocolate and Sesame Ghriba and Panaforte. Ghriba are a Moroccan biscuit generally eaten in Morocco on special occasions and not seen in NZ. There are many varieties of Ghriba. We make a gluten-free, dairy-free version that contains almond flour, toasted sesame and flaxseed. We are also making Italian Panforte which contains freshly roasted spices.”
What’s news at Besaha?
“We have recently added Spanish Fig Cake to our sweet range. It is gluten free and a great addition to a cheese platter or by itself.”
What are the plans for the business going forward?
“Besaha has had rapid growth over the last year and we plan to build on our product range. We are currently in the testing kitchen trying out some new product ideas we hope to launch before Christmas. We want to build brand awareness and make Besaha the go-to for kitchen provisions and Mediterranean treats.”
Where can you buy Besaha products?
“All our products are available online at www.besaha.co.nz and at La Cigale French Market in Parnell, Auckland every weekend. Our spice range is available at Farro Fresh. We hope to extend our coverage to stores nationwide.”
