Interview - Gila - Exotic Bazaar

Imagine working towards world peace through food. This is the noble goal of Gila, an Iranian-Australian foodie whose Exotic Bazaar range is unique, innovative and exciting. We talked with Gila about what inspires her and also discovered some interesting ways her products are being used.

FFW: Who is behind Exotic Bazaar?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: Exotic Bazaar was founded by Gila, an Iranian-Australian foodie who is renowned for her extensive knowledge of Iranian cuisine and entertaining her friends and family with lavish feasts. She is a passionate advocate for raising the awareness of Middle Eastern food and its culture.

“Middle Eastern food philosophy has much more to surprise and intrigue curious Australians, from its abundance of health benefits to the social traditions of sharing food together, what’s not to love”?

Gila is a creative cook with many fusion recipe creations that have showcased Middle Eastern ingredients with international cuisines. Her favourite fusion is Japanese-Persian.

FFW: What led you to establish your business?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: In Australia, it’s clear to me that we live in a multicultural society, and it shows most noticeably in our food choices. When I first migrated to Australia, I remember my excitement exploring the many food choices available in the supermarkets and restaurants, however, I soon realised that unfortunately, compared to other international cuisines, Middle Eastern food was underrepresented.

Whenever I cooked or showcased my home recipes, I felt a genuine appreciation for introducing my guests to a whole new world of flavours. I dreamed of a Persian empire (of food) taking over the supermarket aisles and I told myself that one day I will see my Middle Eastern food revolution become a reality.

A few years had passed and with the continuing admiration for my home-cooked recipes, I decided it was time for Australia to embrace Middle Eastern food, but from the comfort of their own homes. I began developing a range of cooking sauces and spice blends that best represented my culture but were easy to use and of course, healthy. It was also important for me to use local Australian ingredients as much as possible and to run an environmentally conscious business that supports backgrounds. I combined all these factors together with my passion for food and culture and Exotic Bazaar was born.

FFW: How would you summarise your range of products?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: As our name suggests, the experience of Exotic Bazaar should be compared to walking into an exotic Middle Eastern bazaar (market) with the sights, sounds and smells of aromatic spices, colours and flavours. I didn’t want to overwhelm people, but I did want to take them on a journey of discovery.

We have a range of spices and herbs, cooking sauces (that are similar to curry pastes), and date-based condiments which are date syrup and date vinegar. I have recently developed the famous Persian Love Cake with a cardamom and rose black tea; it’s the first of its kind in Australia.

Our products are exquisite and elegant in all aspects. When you add Exotic Bazaar ingredients to your recipes it will add a wow factor and uniqueness that customers may not have experienced before. For those who have already experienced the Middle East, I hope that the nostalgia of those travels abroad will come flowing back.

There is also a healthy twist to my range and an emphasis to include as many customers as possible with dietary requirements. Just like in a Middle Eastern market, you will never know what food lovers treasure you might discover at Exotic Bazaar.

FFW: What makes your products different from others in the marketplace?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: Our range of recipe bases (cooking sauces) are truly unique, and you cannot find the same or even similar product elsewhere. For the first time in Australia, you can now create slow-cooked Persian, Turkish and Moroccan recipes by simply adding meat and/or veggies. They are made with highest quality ingredients with the assurance that not only are you saving on labour and time, but you are also creating an uplifting customer experience. Our spice blends and condiments are all sourced direct and with quality control and traceability.

If you are a sustainable business, you will be happy to know we run a zero-waste production line and all of our packaging is recyclable or compostable. We also offer a packaging buy-back option.

FFW: Is your range made in Australia?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: Our recipe bases are proudly made right here in Brisbane and from the majority of Australian ingredients. Even our glass jars are Australian made. Our spice blends are blended and packed in Australia. Wherever possible I have made it a rule that we should use Australian ingredients such as Australian sea salt, Australian lime juice and Australian tomatoes.

Our Persian Love Cake is made in Australia from at least 90% Australian ingredients.

FFW: From where do you source your ingredients?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: We source all of our ingredients from HACCP certified Australian suppliers.

Our date range is imported from Iran by the highest quality producer of date syrup and date vinegar with high profile customers across Europe, the Middle East and the US.

We support local businesses here in QLD, not just for the ingredients, but the packaging as well.

FFW: What would you say is the most popular product in your range and why?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: Different customers love different products but overall:

Iranian-Australians love our famous Ghormeh Sabzi recipe base. Ghormeh Sabzi is the national dish of Iran and it is a difficult dish to perfect. We are honoured that our Ghormeh Sabzi is seeing so much demand as a result of word-of-mouth and organic sales. Gaining support and endorsement from the Iranian community is one of my proudest achievements.

Gift givers online have fallen in love with our Persian Love Cake hamper because the cake is unique and delicious; it creates a memorable experience for the receiver.

Restaurants and cafes noticeably love our date syrup and bulk spice range. We offer the best price and quality in the market for both products.

Food Box delivery services (e.g. Dinner Twist) love our cooking sauce range. They can offer an economic yet exciting option to their food box delivery service in WA. The recipe bases support several dietary requirements and are available in different sizes to easily accommodate all their customer needs.

FFW: Why do you think Middle Eastern flavours have become so popular with Australian consumers?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: Middle Eastern cuisine is one of the oldest and healthiest in the world where the recipes have evolved over thousands of years. I know the region has a history of rich fertile land with a varied climate. It produces a wondrous abundance of exotic ingredients, some of which you may have heard and other ingredients that are a new and exciting discovery for you. Discovering something new has certainly influenced the rise in popularity.

There is another important aspect that I believe to be the standout core characteristic of Middle Eastern food and that’s the balance in flavours. A recipe’s ingredients have been carefully paired together to bring balance to dishes that ultimately brings balance into our bodies.

I often like to say that the taste of Middle Eastern food has an affectionate resemblance to Mediterranean food. Most recipes are rich in nuts, herbs, fruits, and superfood spices and in Australia, these attributes are rightly desirable and now influence our food choices. There will be those who feel hesitant about trying Middle Eastern food, but in my experiences, I have found that they are always pleasantly surprised with just how much they have enjoyed the taste. This brings us back to the unique balance of flavours that the Middle East has mastered.

FFW: What are the most compelling virtues of your products?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: Luckily, we are living in times that consuming an all-natural product with no preservatives is a given and almost expected from food producers. Naturally, our products have these desirable qualities, however, what I believe differentiates Exotic Bazaar products from the numerous other amazing products is the extra mile that we go to ensure all our products are truly premium. By that I mean we do not use any starch or modified thickener, we use legumes and wholefood ingredients, we do not use cooking oil and most of our products are oil-free. This was a conscious decision that I decided at the very beginning of the journey.

We do not use vinegar or citric acid, instead, we use Australian lime juice for acidity.

All the Exotic Bazaar products range is egg-free, yeast-free, soy-free, dairy-free.

We have a large gluten-free range. We also include products in our range that support a variety of diets including keto, low-FODMAP, garlic/onion-free, Paleo and allergy-friendly.

I wanted the end user to trust and feel confident in our brand to deliver high-quality yet be affordable products and all these aspects combined create a truly unique dining experience for our customers.

FFW: Do your products sell well as foodie gifts?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: Absolutely! Our Persian Love Cake and Gourmet Hampers are our best sellers online. Our customers love to gift their loved ones a touch of exotic. In the last two years, people have been buying multiple foodie gifts to then send to their family/friends, then we noticed a wonderful trend happened where they would gather over-the-zoom for a ‘Persian Night’ together. I was humbled to hear that my products were bringing people together during challenging times. I get butterflies knowing that our customers enjoyed cooking and eating cultural food together. It is why I start the business.

FFW: How does Exotic Bazaar look after customers?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: We provide excellent customer service through prompt responses and a quick turnaround. All customer queries are resolved by me or one of the EB team members. We respectfully resolve customer queries in the most time-efficient, cost-effective and ethically responsible manner. We always follow up on requests to ensure that the customer is satisfied.

When you work with Exotic Bazaar we will treat you as a partner. We work with you to ensure you are successful. We offer free menu development and menu review to discover how you can add an exotic touch to your customer’s life and delight and excite them using Exotic Bazaar’s flavours. We offer next day dispatch and free delivery, with low MOQ.

FFW: What kinds of retailers are stocking your range?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: We are seeing growing success with gourmet retailers who offer high-quality products and international flavours to their customers. Exotic Bazaar products work well in quality butchers, gourmet/local fruit shops, and health stores with gourmet food offerings.

An increase in interest from online retailers have also been a highly successful sales channel. Especially those who are interested in Australian-made products, health products, international food, gourmet, vegan, gluten-free and gift hampers.

FFW: How do you encourage your retailers to promote your products?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: We provide POS material including free recipe cards, shelf-talkers, posters, digital promotion, and in-store taste testing. We also engage in any store celebrations, event days or giveaways. We have a sales promotion calendar to encourage new customers throughout the year and we provide in-store magazine content of our unique brand.

Each jar has a QR code on the label that allows the customer to use a step-by-step video for extra assurance on getting the most out of using the product. The QR code also gives the customer access to download my free Persian e-cookbook for further recipe inspiration.

We have an online store-finder page located in the stockist tab of our website where local customers can find the nearest store. We promote our store finder page on Facebook and Google and we always encourage our customers to support their local store.

FFW: Do you supply bulk quantities for foodservice businesses and food manufacturers?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: Yes, we offer every product in various bulk sizes to suit the customer’s needs. You can visit our website to download our full catalogue specifically for foodservice businesses.

For example, you can now purchase our unique cooking sauces in 5-litre bulk quantities to use them in your own culinary creations. All of our spice blends are available in large or smaller bulk quantities including saffron and Persian black lime. Our Date Syrup comes in 5-29 litre pails, we have a competitively priced high-quality rosewater, and date vinegar.

Our newest product coming soon is a high-density pomegranate molasses. If you use this ingredient, please contact us to join the waiting list.

FFW: Do you offer any serving suggestions, recipes or interesting and unique ways to consume your products?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: Yes, we do. We have a recipe development team that are experts in fusion recipe creations. No matter your brand’s focus we have something for you to elevate your recipes and add a unique selling point to your offering. We are happy to develop new recipes for you from scratch or work closely with your team to design dishes or products to suit any customer need. We offer exclusive production (minimum order applies). For example, if you want us to remove a certain ingredient (e.g. salt, or onion) from a product for you, we can accommodate that and are always open to recommendations.

FFW: What are some of the more innovative ways your products are being used?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: One of our customers is a vegan ready-meal provider who uses our walnut-based sauce along with fable mushrooms. This is an attractive premium option with a high profit margin.

Another example is a cafe that is using our date vinegar instead of balsamic vinegar on salads which has increased the sales of this salad since the change. Our Kebab spice is a popular rub for meat, but it has been particularly popular for low-FODMAP and vegan creators who can now add an umami flavour to their veggies and protein.

Cafes who are using our Persian Love Cake mix to offer their customers in cupcake form have told us this is their bestselling cake-window item. One of the cafes is offering our date syrup used on a stack of pancakes which went viral on TikTok.

I think that’s the best attribute about our product range. You can easily create traditional home-cooked style recipes from the Middle East or if you choose, you can use your creativity to develop a unique dish that is unique to your business. I am always amazed at what our customers are inventing with our products.

FFW: As a passionate producer of a boutique product, do you take notice of other producers of foods and beverages? Are there any that you particularly admire?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: Yes of course! Since starting Exotic Bazaar I have become even more of a foodie than before. I try every new product in the market, I can now fully appreciate the hard work and love that goes into a small business. There are few producers I love and admire. My favourite right now is Pepe Saya Buttery. I love their products and branding. I have been following their story for years and I admire their courage and passion. I believe their products truly make the Australian food scene better and more cultured (don’t mind the pun). I also love their work in supporting and collaborating with other small producers.

FFW: What lies ahead for Exotic Bazaar; any new products or flavours coming up?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: We are a relatively new business, and our products are improving and developing as we receive feedback from our customers. I’m super excited to get my hands on a high-quality pomegranate molasses and as well as a standalone product I will most definitely be working with my development team to produce more products using this incredible ingredient.

We are also improving the packaging of our Persian Love Cake, making it retail-ready. This will be followed by a new range of Middle Eastern cake mixes, which is hugely exciting for us, I can’t wait to start on those early next year.

FFW: What do you most love about your business?

EXOTIC BAZAAR: I love the fact that we are offering a range of unique flavours and products that no one else makes in Australia. In fact, no one makes a similar product outside the Middle East. I love that we are adding to the diversity of Australia.

We are living in polarized times and the media doesn’t paint a good picture of the Middle East. We are all humans, no matter where we come from. We care for love, family and compassion. Our food showcases the beauty of the Middle Eastern culture and its rich heritage. No matter where you are from, good food evokes a sense of safety and peace, and that is what we stand for. We are advocating for world peace through food.

Finally, I love my team, I wouldn’t have gotten very far without them and for that reason, I will be forever grateful.

If you’re feeling the love and would like to explore this outstanding range of Middle Eastern foods, get in touch with Exotic Bazaar today.