A Chat with Ramona Hazan, Founder at Authentic Houmous & Falafel Company: Ramona’s Kitchen

Our brand name comes from me. I started the business from my little kitchen nearly 17 years ago with the aim of getting great-tasting food to loads of people.
 
 

 

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

 
My father had food manufacturing companies in South Africa, where I grew up, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps and start a food company. The range was easy to choose.

My father is Egyptian and my grandparents are Turkish, so we grew up eating the Mediterranean / Levantine foods we produce. Not unnaturally vegetarian, but a cuisine that is based around plants and pulses that are filling and healthy and downright delicious. This did not exist on the market and I felt I could do a better job of getting my heritage and authenticity onto the market.
 

How has the company evolved during the pandemic?

 
This was a hard year, no doubt about that. But we saw it as an opportunity to really look at the business and do all the things we never had time to do.

One of them was to launch an online shop both via our own website (www.ramonaskitchen.com) and also via Amazon. Other work was done to fill the gaps in the retail market while companies were struggling and retailers were looking at new products and filling the shelves.
 

What can we hope to see from Ramona’s in the future?

 
When it comes to Ramona’s, the future is so bright we all need sunglasses!

We are focused on growing both in terms of availability and access to consumers but also with amazing new products that are all plant and pulse-based. We are all about sharing and eating together and we are going to be bringing the market amazing options for filling tables with beautiful food to bring friends and families back together again. Finally!