News & Information

More Links:

Get information on Wild Garden Hummus Dip
and other Wild Garden products

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2008

Ziyad Brothers Importing announces “Ready Serve” line of authentic Mediterranean foods products

Microwave packs bring popular authentic Mediterranean
foods into American kitchens

(Cicero, Illinois) – Ziyad Brothers Importing of Cicero, Illinois launches a new “Ready Serve” food line that will simplify the complexities of preparing authentic Mediterranean foods for mainstream consumers.

Ziyad offers four ready-to-eat, all natural Middle Eastern flavors that include Couscous (Maftoul), Fire Roasted Green Wheat Pilaf, Burghul Pilaf and Lentil Pilaf.

The new “Ready Serve” food products expand on Ziyad’s past success of introducing consumers to authentic, all natural and shelf-stable Mediterranean Hummus Dip under the “Wild Garden” label.

Like Wild Garden Hummus, the Ready Serve lines are 100 percent Vegan Vegetarian with no man-made preservatives. They are shelf-stable, fully cooked and ready to serve after heating.

Consumers simply tear a corner of the Ready Serve meal pouch, place in the microwave for 90-120 seconds, fluff and serve. A specialty tomato based sauce comes with the Couscous that is added to the dish after it is microwaved.

“There is a growing market among consumers for Mediterranean foods that they have been eating in restaurants for years but that average families have found are too complicated to make at home,” explained Mark D. Smith, Ziyad Vice President of Sales.

“We do all the work for the consumer. What we are doing with Couscous, wheat, lentil and burghul pilaf is to put these healthy, delicious and authentic Mediterranean meals on the dinner tables of consumers easily, efficiently and enjoyably.”

Smith said Ziyad first offered authentic Mediterranean foods to consumers in 2003 with the release of Wild Garden Hummus Dip, which is available in most major retail stores around the country, served by three major airlines (United, Delta and Alaska) and in a growing number school lunchrooms where healthy foods are becoming the more popular student meal option.

“Hummus is an exotic dip that consumers enjoyed at restaurants but couldn’t match at home, because of the difficulty of the recipe and the limitations of freezer and deli section alternatives,” Smith said.

“It had to be chilled and that meant it didn’t taste authentic. And, retailers couldn’t buy it in bulk quantities to make it profitable.”

Smith added, “Imagine before, the only way to eat Coucous was to go to a restaurant or to spend hours in your own kitchen trying to match the authenticity of a complicated recipe. Now, our ready serve product line does it all for you and results in a great tasting, healthy and popular meal item.”

“We are giving consumer easy choices for a food line of authentic Mediterranean items that have been growing in popularity for consumers at restaurants. Now they can have it at home without the hassle or the fuss. All they have to do is enjoy it,” Smith said.

Shelf-stable, Smith explained, means the food items do not need to be refrigerated until opened or cooked. The Hummus Dip, for example, is pasteurized and vacuum sealed, making it more accessible to mainstream consumers.

EDITORS NOTE: Ziyad Brothers Importing would like to ship a Sample Product Box of each of the four “Ready Serve” products, including samples of Wild Garden Hummus Dip, to any interested reporters or editors. Email: rhanania@ziyad.com for requests.

end