Ziyad

What Ziyad does

Ziyad Brothers Importing, LLC is a U.S.-based branded food company that sources, packages, and distributes authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food products. Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Cicero (Chicago area), Illinois, the company sells a portfolio of branded packaged goods including tahini, plain yogurt, labna, sumac, coriander, butter cookies, lahmajun flatbread, butter ghee, grape leaves, vermicelli, falafel mix, and pickled products under the Ziyad brand.

The company operates an omnichannel model: products are sold nationally through supermarkets and independent grocers across the United States, supplemented by direct-to-consumer availability through Amazon and a store-locator-enabled brand website. The company's competitive positioning rests on multi-generational family heritage, long-standing sourcing relationships with growers and suppliers in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean regions, and a content-marketing engine (recipes, ingredient glossary, Instagram presence) that drives consumer engagement.

Ziyad is privately held and backed by private equity sponsor Peak Rock Capital, which has supported an acquisitions-driven expansion. In March 2023, Ziyad acquired Vintage Food Corp., a Kearny, NJ-based distributor of Middle Eastern and Eastern European foods supplying over 2,000 SKUs, and in December 2024, it acquired Indo-European Foods. As of June 2025, Peak Rock Capital was reported to be exploring a sale of the Ziyad Brothers food platform. Leadership includes CEO Nemer Ziyad, with co-founders Ahmad and Ibrahim Ziyad in founding roles and Rich Cobb as CFO.

Name

Ziyad

Legal name

Ziyad Brothers Importing, LLC

Website

https://www.ziyad.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ziyad Brothers Importing is a Cicero, Illinois-based branded food company that distributes authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean products — including tahini, yogurt, labna, spices, and baked goods — to U.S. consumers through supermarkets, independent grocers, and Amazon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Packaged Foods

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing (31182)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Dips, Salsas, Relishes & Chutneys Manufacturing (AFAKADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refrigerated Dips & Spreads (Cream Cheese, Hummus, Salsa, Guacamole) (CRADACAG), Ethnic Bakery, Confectionery & Snacks Wholesale (AFAIAIAE), Pesto, Cooking Pastes & Concentrated Flavor Bases Manufacturing (AFAKADAN)

Keywords

• Middle Eastern foods
• Mediterranean cuisine
• Tahini products
• Ethnic grocery brands
• Halal food products

Headquarters

HQ city

Cicero

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consumer Food Products Sales: Ziyad generates revenue through the sale of packaged Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food products including tahini, yogurt, labna, spices, and prepared foods through retail distribution channels.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ziyad manufactures and distributes a branded portfolio of packaged Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food products, including tahini, labna, plain yogurt, spices (sumac, ground coriander), butter ghee, falafel mix, grape leaves, vermicelli, lahmajun flatbread, butter cookies, and pickled cucumbers. Products are sold to retail consumers primarily through U.S. supermarkets, independent grocers, and Amazon, with a supporting recipe and ingredient content library on its website.

Product overview

Ziyad is a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food brand that offers a portfolio of authentic food products. The company's offerings include tahini, yogurts (plain yogurt and labna), spices (sumac, coriander, turmeric), baked goods (butter cookies, lahmajun), cooking ingredients (butter ghee, grape leaves, vermicelli), prepared mixes (falafel mix), and pickled products. These products are sold under the Ziyad brand to retailers and consumers, with recipes and ingredient information provided on their website to support meal preparation. The company also acquired Vintage Food Corp. in 2023 to expand its product offerings and geographic reach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ziyad Tahini Sesame seed paste used in hummus, salad dressings, dips, and desserts; creamy, nutty, plant-based, sold to home cooks and foodservice/retail consumers.
• Ziyad Old Country Style Plain Yogurt Grade A, tangy, thick, creamy plain yogurt with natural probiotics, for sweet or savory dishes; targets home cooks and families.
• Ziyad Old Country Style Labna Strained yogurt spread, rich, thick, tangy, cream-cheese-like, drizzled with olive oil; used as a spread for pita bread and pita chips.
• Ziyad Sumac Coarse ground sumac berry spice with deep purple-red color and bold tart flavor; used in soups, salad dressings, and dishes like Musakhan.
• Ziyad Butter Cookies (Ghraybeh) Ghraybeh-style shortbread cookies with rich, buttery flavor and crumbly texture, often enjoyed with coffee or tea during holidays and special occasions.
• Ziyad Lahmajun Middle Eastern style flatbread topped with high-quality halal beef and vegetables, baked; sold ready-to-eat for home consumption.
• Butter Ghee Clarified butter with rich buttery flavor, lactose-free, suitable for paleo and keto lifestyles; used in Middle Eastern and South Asian cooking.
• Grape Leaves Pickled grape leaves used for stuffing with rice and meat mixtures; a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine.
• Vermicelli Thin noodles used in soups, rice dishes, and various Middle Eastern recipes.
• Ziyad Falafel Mix Pre-mixed seasoning and dry ingredients for making Middle Eastern vegetarian falafel patties with chickpeas, parsley, and spices.
• Ziyad Ground Coriander Ground coriander spice with strong aroma and subtle citrus and nutty notes; used in stews, thick sauces, meats, and pickles.
• Ziy Pickled Wild Cucumbers (Mikta Pickle) Pickled wild cucumbers with a sweet and tangy flavor profile; eaten on their own or added to sandwiches, pitas, and kebabs.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Vintage Food Corp.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2023Ziyad Brothers acquired Vintage Food Corp., a distributor of Middle Eastern and Eastern European food products founded in 1992 and headquartered in Kearny, New Jersey. Vintage supplies over 2,000 products to thousands of customers. The acquisition aimed to expand Ziyad's product portfolio and geographic reach across the US. Vintage's president continued leading operations and joined Ziyad's executive team.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sadaf Foods: Family-owned Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food brand offering tahini, spices, rice, legumes, and pickled products. Directly comparable in product mix, channel strategy (retail grocery plus ethnic specialty stores), and cultural positioning.
• Roland Foods: Specialty food importer and distributor supplying ethnic ingredients, grains, oils, and condiments to foodservice and retail channels. Overlaps with Ziyad in Middle Eastern/Mediterranean categories and in serving independent grocers and supermarket chains.
• Krinos Foods: Long-established U.S. distributor of Greek and Mediterranean food products including cheeses, olives, phyllo, and specialty ingredients. Directly comparable as a multi-decade heritage brand serving ethnic grocery and mainstream supermarket channels with imported Mediterranean staples.
• Cedar's Mediterranean Foods: U.S. manufacturer of Mediterranean dips including hummus, tzatziki, baba ghanoush, and labna-style spreads. Directly competes with Ziyad's tahini, labna, and yogurt products in the refrigerated and dips category across retail grocery.

Emerging players

• Tribe Mediterranean Foods: Specialty hummus brand with focus on clean-label and innovative flavors. Competes with Ziyad's hummus-adjacent tahini and labna products in the refrigerated Mediterranean dips category with a more niche, premium positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Sabra Dipping Company: Joint venture between PepsiCo and Strauss Group, dominant U.S. hummus brand. Competes indirectly with Ziyad's tahini and labna in the broader Mediterranean dips category with vastly superior scale and retailer relationships.
• B&G Foods: Diversified packaged food conglomerate holding multiple heritage and ethnic food brands (including brands in specialty/Mediterranean categories). A potential strategic acquirer of mid-size ethnic food platforms like Ziyad.
• Athenos: Mediterranean food brand (owned by PepsiCo/Frito-Lay) offering hummus, tzatziki, and feta products. A broader incumbent with corporate backing that competes in the Mediterranean dips space and has superior marketing and distribution scale.

Regional players

• Mediterranean Food Brands: Regional Mediterranean food supplier (Australia-headquartered with international distribution). Comparable product mix and category focus, though operating primarily outside Ziyad's core U.S. market.
• Al Wadi Al Akhdar: Middle Eastern packaged food brand offering tahini, legumes, condiments, and Mediterranean staples. Comparable product portfolio and authentic Middle Eastern positioning, though primarily distributed across the Middle East and select international markets rather than the U.S.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ziyadbrand

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Ziyad