We recently connected with Naseem And Tina Raad and have shared our conversation below.
Naseem and Tina , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
The idea to start this business came from the economic struggles that started in Lebanon in 2019. Lebanon plunged into one of the worst economic crisis ever seen in modern history. Our national currency lost nearly 98% of its value over a few weeks, leaving life savings inaccessible, countless businesses in ruin, and most state institutions unable to provide basic, physiological needs and services. With every passing week, we spiraled further into the abyss. The catastrophe broke our hearts because Lebanon has lots of incredible products and an educated and qualified population who merely lack the infrastructure and support needed for economic growth.
One day, Naseem was having a drink with his uncle Fadi, venting about the state of the country. Their conversation soon turned to Fadi’s ideas for starting a winery and how he had gotten into drying his own herbs. He said he might be interested in tackling the European market someday, targeting restaurants and supermarkets. Naseem immediately thought of the potential of importing spices and herbs to the US market and setting up an online store for direct-to-consumer sales. We chose the US market because we are both Lebanese-American, making it a familiar terrain. We also chose the US market because there is a growing demand here for unique, premium, and sustainably sourced food products, which Lebanese spices offer through their cultural authenticity and a level of quality that stands out.
Soon after, Uncle Fadi introduced us to Zaher Radwan, the CEO of Green Hand Organization, an NGO dedicated to sustainable green growth and a community-based approach. We reviewed his available products and started to put together the concept of packaging and shipping premium Lebanese herbs, spices, and salts to the US market. After a few iterations, many mistakes, and lots of help along the way, we managed a test run. We couldn’t believe it that we successfully navigated FDA registration, customs clearance, and Amazon’s distribution system. Our first order was a milestone moment—we knew we were onto something real.
We believed this would be a lifeline to our crippled economy, taking premium products to a strong international market and helping Lebanese Farmers receive the profit margins and volume of sales they deserve. Lebanon is heavily import-dependent, and we wanted to reverse that trend, contributing to the country’s economic recovery through exports. This isn’t just about making a profit; it is about preserving Lebanon’s culinary heritage and helping to rebuild its economy, one jar of spice at a time.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Beirut Spice Co. is more than just a business for us—it’s our passion. While our main careers lie in academia and executive support, we share a deep love for Lebanon and its culinary heritage, which led us to start importing and sharing our culture through spices. Naseem is a Professor and Maritime Archaeologist, and Tina is an Executive Assistant with extensive experience in the Food & Beverage industry. While we didn’t have a background in imports and exports, our entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to our roots pushed us to learn, grow, and bring a piece of Lebanon to the San Francsico Bay Area.
At Beirut Spice Co., we offer a carefully curated line of six premium spices: Za’atar, Spicy Za’atar, Sumac, Aleppo Pepper, Fleur De Sel, and Mediterranean Herb Sea Salt. Each spice is packaged in an 8oz jar, with varying weights based on the product. We sell through our website, Amazon, a few local Bay Area stores, and we’re excited to participate in a full schedule of Holiday Markets this December. Check out our website www.beirutspice.co for upcoming events, where you’ll find an array of vendors and small businesses like ours.
What sets us apart is the uncompromising quality of our products and our commitment to authenticity. For instance, with our Za’atar, we use only the flower part of the Za’atar plant, ensuring a purer, more aromatic spice. We don’t add preservatives or fillers like sunflower oil, further setting us apart. All of our herbs are freshly picked and vacuum-sealed to maintain their flavor and integrity.
But beyond the product itself, what truly makes Beirut Spice Co. unique is our mission to support Lebanese farmers and factory workers. We operate with transparency and share profits directly with the people who grow and process our spices, impacting their lives in meaningful ways. Our goal is to continue expanding and help even more Lebanese families through sustainable business relationships.
We are incredibly proud of what we’ve built. Beirut Spice Co. is more than a business—it’s a community. We’re building relationships, creating opportunities, and sharing Lebanese culture in a positive, impactful way. This journey is nurturing our souls, and we’re excited to continue sharing it with others.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Resilience is a word that resonates deeply with us as Lebanese. For generations, Lebanon has endured countless hardships, from political instability to economic collapse, and yet, time and time again, we rebuild. For much of the last 50 years, there’s been more struggle than peace, but despite it all, the Lebanese people have shown incredible resilience. We rise after every setback, pick up the pieces, and keep moving forward.
In many ways, this spirit mirrors our own journey with Beirut Spice Co. Over the past few months, we’ve faced unexpected setbacks in bringing our products to the U.S. due to the ongoing challenges in Lebanon. In the last five months, we’ve had two significant delays—one boat shipment was delayed by six weeks, and another air shipment was delayed by two weeks. During these times, we’ve had little choice but to wait, stay patient, and focus on what we can control. It’s frustrating, but we draw strength from understanding that the world we’re navigating is full of uncertainty—and resilience is about persisting in the face of it.
However, the true testament to resilience comes from our supplier, Zaher, who continues to operate from Lebanon despite the active conflict. While we had the option to leave and did so two weeks into the war, Zaher and his team remained behind. Most of our spices come from the Bekaa Valley and Baalbek regions—two of the most targeted areas in Lebanon. Despite the ongoing danger, Zaher and his farmers persevered, harvesting and packaging our latest shipment, which arrived in mid-November.
That kind of resilience is humbling. It’s a reminder that while we face challenges here, the true strength lies in those who refuse to give up, even when the odds are stacked against them. Zaher’s courage and determination inspire us every day, and we are proud to be able to share his work with our customers.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Building our audience on social media has been an exciting journey, though we’re still learning how to grow and refine our approach. We’re a relatively new business, having celebrated our first year this month of November. And this holiday season will mark our debut at markets and pop-up events. We’re eager to make meaningful connections, meet new people, and, of course, grow our social media presence.
One thing we’ve found helpful is creating small recipe books with links to our various social media platforms. We hope this will be a fun way to engage with our audience and boost our following.
A key lesson we’ve learned is the importance of creating a content calendar. We plan out content a month in advance, but we’ve realized it’s more effective to shorten that to about two weeks. Social media is constantly evolving, and what’s trending one week may not be relevant the next. But having a framework for what we want to post is crucial—it keeps us organized and ensures we remain consistent.
Consistency really is everything. Admittedly, we’ve let things slip a bit in October and November due to some unavoidable challenges, but we’re excited to revamp our social media presence soon with more regular content.
We’ve also found that collaborations are invaluable—especially with others in our industry. Every time we partner with someone, whether through joint giveaways or shared posts, we see a noticeable increase in followers and sales. It’s all about building a community and creating meaningful relationships for us.
One thing we’ve learned is to engage with accounts similar to ours. By interacting with food-related pages and other small businesses, we’ve been able to enter relevant algorithms, which has increased our visibility.
Additionally, timing matters! We make sure to post at peak times of day and week. We keep track of which posts perform the best at certain times, and we research when the optimal times are for our audience.
One of our videos also went viral on TikTok—a surprising success! It didn’t feature our spices at all, but instead, we shared a video on how to brine olives, a tradition we learned before leaving Lebanon. The video reached 34K views, which is by far our most successful post across any platform. What made it special was how it highlighted our culture, resilience, and heritage, and it also shared some important organizations providing aid in Lebanon amidst the ongoing crisis.
In summary, our advice for anyone starting out on social media is to be patient, remain steadfast, and stay authentic to yourselves and brand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.beirutspice.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beirutspiceco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeirutSpiceCo
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@beirutspiceco?_t=8rTkSMYyPoh&_r=1
Image Credits
Gabie Loresto and Tina Raad