Soom Foods

What Soom Foods does

Soom Foods is a Philadelphia-based premium tahini brand founded in 2010 by three co-founders (Amy Zitelman/Zipp as CEO, Shelby Zipp Davidson as President of the Board, and Jackie Zipp as Chief Product Officer). The company produces tahini from dry-roasted, mechanically-hulled Ethiopian White Humera sesame seeds processed at an Israel-based manufacturing facility using a proprietary grinding technique designed to yield a silky-smooth, pourable texture that separates less than competing tahini brands and produces a mild, non-bitter nutty flavor. Its product portfolio comprises Premium and Organic tahini in 11oz and 16oz retail jars, 6.6lb and 40lb foodservice bulk buckets, and chocolate sesame spread SKUs, all OU Kosher certified and positioned for vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-friendly diets. The brand also retains Seedible, a snack brand acquired in late 2021 that uses embedded seeds.

The company makes money through two primary streams: consumer retail sales of jars and chocolate spreads distributed through national grocery chains (Whole Foods, Walmart, Target, Publix, Harris Teeter, Wegmans, The Fresh Market, plus ~15 regional and specialty chains) and e-commerce (Amazon, Thrive Market), and wholesale/foodservice bulk sales to restaurants, caterers, and commercial kitchens. It also operates as a private-label ingredient supplier to CPG manufacturers, exemplified by Zahav Foods, which uses Soom Premium Tahini as the #1 ingredient in Zahav Hummus sold nationally. Go-to-market is product-led, anchored by an extensive free recipe content library spanning sauces, dips, breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, and seasonal occasions, supplemented by social media, email, retailer shelf presence, and chef/influencer collaborations.

Operating signals indicate a small, founder-controlled organization of 11-50 employees that has scaled steadily over 14+ years while remaining essentially bootstrapped — the only disclosed institutional capital is a $250K raise from Clover Vitality in January 2022. As of December 20, 2024, Soom restructured away from direct-to-consumer website fulfillment, routing consumer orders through preferred local distributors instead, indicating a strategic tilt toward scaled retail and foodservice distribution over thin-margin DTC operations. Geographic footprint remains North America (USA), with no disclosed international expansion.

Name

Soom Foods

Legal name

Soom Foods

Website

https://soomfoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Soom Foods is a Philadelphia-based premium tahini brand, founded in 2010, producing silky-smooth tahini from Ethiopian White Humera sesame seeds for retail consumers, restaurants and foodservice operators, and CPG manufacturers including Zahav Foods.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Retail Sales: Consumer direct purchases through Soom Foods website and major retail partners including Whole Foods, Walmart, Target, Publix, and specialty grocery stores. Products sold include 11oz and 16oz tahini jars and chocolate sesame spreads.
2. Wholesale and Foodservice: Bulk tahini sales to restaurants, foodservice operators, and manufacturers. Offerings include 6.6lb buckets, 40lb buckets of Premium Tahini, and 40lb buckets of Organic Tahini. This B2B channel supports restaurant-quality tahini at scale.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels12 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Soom Foods produces and sells premium and USDA-certified organic tahini made from dry-roasted, mechanically-hulled Ethiopian White Humera sesame seeds, offered in 11oz and 16oz retail jars, 6.6lb and 40lb bulk foodservice buckets, and chocolate sesame spreads. Products are sold directly to retail consumers through major grocery chains and e-commerce platforms, and to restaurants, caterers, and food manufacturers through wholesale and foodservice channels.

Product overview

Soom Foods is a food CPG brand built around tahini as its core product line. The portfolio consists of two primary product families: tahini (available in Premium and Organic variants, in 11oz and 16oz retail jars, and in 6.6lb and 40lb bulk buckets for foodservice) and chocolate spreads (Chocolate Sesame Spread and Chocolate Sea Salt Sesame Spread), which extend the tahini base into sweet applications. The products are unified by Soom's sourcing of Ethiopian White Humera sesame seeds and a grinding process designed to produce a silky-smooth, pourable consistency. Retail products are sold through major grocery chains and online retailers, while bulk formats serve restaurant and foodservice partners. Soom also acts as a private-label tehina supplier to other CPG brands, including Zahav Foods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Premium Tahini (11oz) Silky-smooth retail tahini made from premium Ethiopian White Humera sesame seeds; the signature consumer SKU recognized for its pourable consistency, mild nutty flavor, and ease of mixing. Available at Whole Foods, Walmart, Target, Publix, and other major grocery chains.
• Premium Tahini (16oz) Larger-size version of Soom's signature silky-smooth tahini, made from premium Ethiopian White Humera sesame seeds with the same formulation as the 11oz jar, intended for higher-volume household use.
• Organic Tahini (11oz) USDA-certified organic tahini made from organic White Humera sesame seeds using the same process as the premium tahini, with organic certification as the key differentiator. Identical texture and mild nutty flavor to the Premium Tahini.
• Organic Tahini (16oz) Larger-size USDA-certified organic tahini made from organic Ethiopian White Humera sesame seeds, offering the same silky-smooth texture and mild nutty flavor as other Soom tahini products with organic certification.
• Premium Tahini Bulk 6.6lb Bucket 6.6-pound bulk bucket of Soom Premium Tahini designed for foodservice operators, restaurants, and wholesale buyers, providing chef-trusted tahini at scale for commercial kitchens.
• Premium Tahini Bulk 40lb Bucket 40-pound bulk bucket of Soom Premium Tahini for large-scale wholesale and foodservice distribution, targeted at high-volume restaurant and manufacturing partners.
• Organic Tahini Bulk 40lb Bucket 40-pound bulk bucket of USDA-certified organic tahini for large-scale wholesale and foodservice buyers requiring organic-certified product.
• Chocolate Sesame Spread A chocolate-flavored sesame spread made with Soom tahini as the base, marketed as a dip for fruit, a baking ingredient, or a straight-from-the-jar snack. Produced in a facility that also processes soy.
• Chocolate Sea Salt Sesame Spread Chocolate sesame spread with sea salt added, positioned as a versatile topping or snack. Contains no emulsifiers; natural oil separation and salt crystallization may occur over time.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6g plant-based protein per serving
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SeediblecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021Soom Foods announced the acquisition of Seedible in December 2021, with Seedible becoming fully acquired by March 2021. The deal aims to expand Soom Foods' distribution and product innovation pipeline in the US tahini market.
• Zahav FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZahav Foods, co-founded by Chef Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook, manufactures Zahav Hummus products using premium roasted tehina sourced from Soom Foods. The hummus is the first grocery product with tehina as the #1 ingredient.
• McConnell's Fine Ice CreamsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with McConnell's to create limited edition Toasted Sesame & Raspberry ice cream flavor featuring Soom Premium Tahini.
• KosterinaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKosterina products (Original Balsamic Vinegar and Everyday Extra Virgin Olive Oil) are featured in Soom Foods recipes, creating cross-promotional partnership.
• After Noon FoodminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAfter Noon Food's Greek Goddess stickpack is featured in Soom recipe for Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Greek Goddess Tahini Dressing.
• Cleveland KitchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Cleveland Kitchen featuring their Dill Pickle Buffalo Everything Sauce in Buffalo Cauliflower recipe with Tahini Pickle Ranch made with Soom Premium Tahini.
• C-CAP PhiladelphiaminorOthersMichele's Granola Limited Edition collaboration with Soom Foods supports C-CAP Philadelphia, a culinary education non-profit.
• Michele's GranolaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLimited edition collaboration granola product featuring Soom Foods ingredients to support C-CAP Philadelphia.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Baron's: Baron's produces tahini and other Mediterranean spreads distributed across US grocery shelves. Direct competitor to Soom in the tahini category, overlapping on product type, retail placement, and target consumer.
• Ziyad Brothers Importing: Ziyad is a major importer and brand of Middle Eastern staples including tahini, pita, olives, and grains, sold across US grocery and ethnic retailers. Directly competitive with Soom on tahini at mainstream price points.
• Joyva: Joyva manufactures sesame-based confectionery and tahini (alongside halva and chocolate-covered treats) for US retail. Compares to Soom as a sesame-product specialist with overlapping raw-material sourcing and grinding capabilities.
• Sadaf Foods: Sadaf is a leading US-based brand of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean packaged foods including tahini, halal sauces, and grains. Directly comparable as a tahini manufacturer and ethnic-food CPG competitor in similar grocery channels.
• Krinos Foods: Krinos is one of the largest US distributors of Greek and Mediterranean foods including tahini, feta, olives, and phyllo. Comparable as a multi-SKU Mediterranean CPG with national grocery distribution.

Emerging players

• Hope Foods: Hope Foods is a small-batch hummus and dip brand using high-quality ingredients at natural and grocery retailers. Comparable as an emerging premium Mediterranean spread brand targeting overlapping health-conscious consumers.
• 88 Acres: 88 Acres makes seed-based snacks, bars, and butters (including sunflower and pumpkin seed spreads) at natural grocery. Comparable as an emerging seed-based CPG brand with similar allergen-friendly positioning and retail footprint to Soom's seed-adjacent lines.

Broad incumbents

• Cedar's Mediterranean Foods: Cedar's produces hummus, tzatziki, and Mediterranean dips sold across US grocery and club channels. Adjacent peer using tahini as a core ingredient and competing for the same Mediterranean-pantry shelf set as Soom.
• Sabra Dipping Company: Sabra is the dominant US hummus brand and a major buyer of tahini as a key ingredient. Indirectly comparable as a tahini-consuming CPG peer operating in overlapping retail aisles and Mediterranean category.
• Maranatha Nut Butters: Maranatha is a US nut and seed butter brand (almond, peanut, sunflower) sold at natural and mainstream grocery. Conceptually comparable as a premium spread/butter brand competing for the same pantry occasion with Soom's chocolate tahini spreads.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/soomfoods

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Soom Foods