Ziba Foods
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Ziba Foods firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ziba Foods
- Legal name
- Ziba Foods
- Website
- https://zibafoods.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ziba Foods industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Dried Fruits and Nuts
- NAICS
- Tree Nut Farming (111335), Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers (42449)
- SIC
- Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Nuts, Seeds & Trail Mix Snacks (CRADABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fruit Snacks & Dried Fruit (CRADABAJ)
Keywords
Where Ziba Foods is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ziba Foods business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Retail: Ziba Foods sells products directly to consumers through their e-commerce website (zibafoods.com/shop) with products shipped to customers. Subscription/newsletter model with 15% off first order incentive for newsletter subscribers.
- Marketplace Sales: Products sold through Amazon.com, Amazon.ae, and Instacart marketplace platforms, reaching customers who prefer established e-commerce marketplaces.
- Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale products sold directly through Faire marketplace to retailers and businesses.
- Retail/Store Distribution: Products distributed through specialty grocery stores, gourmet retailers, and specialty stores in the US and UAE markets including Jones The Grocer, 1004 Gourmet, Comptoir 102, and others.
- Brand Partnership / Sponsorship: Official partnership with Scuderia AlphaTauri for 2022 Formula One season provided brand visibility and sponsorship revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Retail consumer pricing for nuts and dried fruits |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Wholesale pricing through Faire |
| Subscription | Monthly | Newsletter subscription with discount incentive |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Ziba Foods product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ziba Foods sources, processes, and sells heirloom and wild-grown dried fruits and nuts from Afghanistan. Products include trail mixes, dried fruits (raisins, figs, mulberries, plums, peaches, nectarines, melon), heirloom almonds, wild pistachio kernels, sweet apricot kernels, seasoned nut blends, and co-branded chocolate bars. Items are dry-roasted without oil, contain no additives or preservatives, and are packaged at the company's HACCP-certified Kabul facility for retail, wholesale, and e-commerce distribution.
Product overview
Ziba Foods offers heirloom and wild-grown dried fruits and nuts sourced from family farms and natural landscapes in Afghanistan. The core product line includes trail mixes, dried fruits (Kishmish raisins, sun-dried figs, white and purple mulberries), apricot kernels, and heirloom almonds (Shakhurbai and Gurbandi varieties), and wild baby pistachio kernels. Limited editions and seasonal offerings include dried plums, peaches, nectarines, summer melon, and seasoned nut products with various spice blends. Chocolate bars made in partnership with Mirzam Chocolate Makers expand the portfolio. All products emphasize traditional farming practices, non-GMO verification, and ethical sourcing with a 85%+ female workforce in Afghanistan.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Trail Mix A textured, salty-sweet combination of Gurbandi almonds, Kishmish raisins, sweet apricot kernels, wild pistachios, and honey-like mulberries, featuring heirloom and wild-grown ingredients from Afghanistan. Targeted at consumers seeking premium, healthy snacking options.
- Trail Pairing A pairing of heirloom apricot kernels and wild dried white mulberries, offering a balance of sweet and savory with natural crunch. Non-GMO and gluten-free certified, marketed as a premium healthy snack.
- Kishmish Raisins Super-sweet green Kishmish raisins from Zabul province in southern Afghanistan. Made from the Shungul Khani grape variety with a candy-like flavor profile and slightly gummy texture, with no additives or preservatives. Sold to individual consumers and specialty retailers.
- Sun-Dried Figs Sun-dried figs from Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan, with a unique disc shape, chewy sweet center, and notes of bourbon and brown sugar. High in fiber; positioned as a premium snack and recipe ingredient.
- Sweet Apricot Kernels Sweet (non-bitter) apricot kernels from Bamyan, Afghanistan, marketed as a source of plant-based protein with a delicate marzipan-like sweetness. Sold as a snack and ingredient to consumers and gourmet retailers.
- Heirloom Almonds – Shakhurbai Dry-roasted and salted heirloom Shakhurbai almonds from Samangan province in northern Afghanistan, an ancient Afghan variety with vanilla notes, sturdy crunch, and higher protein than California almonds. Sold to consumers as a premium snack.
- Heirloom Almonds – Gurbandi Raw Gurbandi almonds from Logar province in eastern Afghanistan, with a sweet, mild flavor, gentle crunch, and honey-like notes. Marketed for snacking, almond milk, or homemade nut butter.
- Baby Pistachio Kernels Wild baby pistachio kernels foraged from Badghis and Samangan provinces, dry-roasted without oil and lightly dusted with Afghan salt. Intense pine and camphor flavor profile, targeted at gourmet consumers.
- Dried White Mulberries White mulberries growing wild at the base of the Hindu Kush mountains in Kapisa, northern Afghanistan. Naturally sweet and crunchy with delicate floral notes reminiscent of wildflower honey.
- Dried Purple Mulberries Honey-sweet purple mulberries with rich floral notes, described as the sweeter counterpart to white mulberries with a wildflower bouquet bite and warm grassy finish. Sold to consumers via the Ziba website and partner retailers.
- Dried Herati Plums Herati plums from Herat in western Afghanistan, with natural sweetness and a pleasantly tart, sour finish. Marketed as a limited-quantity seasonal offering.
- Dried Peaches & Nectarines Combination of dried peaches and nectarines from Afghanistan, including the tart Shabhnad nectarine variety with light tropical flavor and peaches with a honey-like finish. Limited-edition seasonal product.
- Summer Melon Dried Garmak summer melons from Herat in western Afghanistan, with natural sweetness, honeyed fragrance, light bright flavor, and chewy texture. Limited-edition seasonal offering.
- Sweet & Spicy BBQ Spice-roasted almonds, sweet apricot kernels, and raisins seasoned with sweet-and-spicy barbecue flavors. Dry-roasted with no added oil or sugar. Limited-edition seasoned snack.
- Classic BBQ Spice-roasted almonds and sweet apricot kernels seasoned with savory, smoky classic barbecue flavors. Limited-edition seasoned snack.
- Heirloom Almonds with Za'atar Heirloom Gurbandi and Shakhurbai almonds blended with aromatic za'atar from Salfeet, Palestine, plus lemon salt and sumac. Limited-edition seasoned snack with crisp textures and nutty, fragrant spice notes.
- Mixed Nuts with Sumac & Salt Medley of sweet apricot kernels and heirloom Gurbandi and Shakhurbai almonds seasoned with sumac from Salfeet, Palestine and flaky sea salt. Tangy, savory seasoned snack with crisp textures.
- Burlap & Barrel Spiced Almonds & Sweet Apricot Kernels Almonds and sweet apricot kernels featuring Burlap & Barrel's wild mountain cumin and Herati saffron from Afghanistan, with warm spice notes of umami cumin and honeyed saffron. Limited-edition co-branded snack.
- Burlap & Barrel Spiced Dried Fruit Dried fruit seasoned with wild mountain cumin, royal cinnamon, and cloud forest cardamom sourced from Burlap & Barrel. Limited-edition co-branded dried fruit.
- Gurbandi Almond Chocolate Bar Handcrafted chocolate bar by Mirzam Chocolate Makers with single-origin Ghana chocolate and lightly roasted heirloom Gurbandi almonds. Sweet and decadent with warm notes of toasted honey. Sold through Mirzam and Ziba channels.
- Spiced Wild Pistachio Kernel Chocolate Bar Handcrafted chocolate bar by Mirzam Chocolate Makers with single-origin Ghana chocolate, raw wild pistachio kernels, saffron, and cardamom. Sweet and decadent with bright botanical notes and warm spice.
- Sweet Apricot Kernel Chocolate Bar Handcrafted chocolate bar by Mirzam Chocolate Makers with single-origin Tanzania chocolate and lightly roasted heirloom sweet apricot kernels. Sweet, floral, and lightly crunchy with notes of honeyed marzipan.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% of Afghan population reliant on agriculture supported through Ziba's sourcing relationships
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ziba Foods
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ziba Foods technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Ziba Foods partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- Maker to Monger / Alex ArmstrongcoreZiba partnered with Alex Armstrong, Certified Cheese Professional (CCPTM) and Certified Cheese Sensory Evaluator (CCSETM), for the Perfect Pairings series. Alex has over 12 years in the cheese industry and was awarded the Daphne Zepos Teaching Award in 2023. He curated pairings of Ziba products with artisan cheeses including Sun-Dried Figs with Gorgonzola Dolce, Kishmish Raisins with 1655 Gruyere, Dried White Mulberries with Shabby Shoe, Baby Pistachio Kernels with Jumi Grossvatu Raclette, Sweet Apricot Kernels with Pecorino Sardo, and Shakhurbai Almonds with OG Goat Aged Gouda.
- Mohammad Alem AfzalliminorAfghan artist and designer created Spring 2025 packaging designs for Ziba Foods. Born in Kabul, now based in Alameda, California, his work blends Persian calligraphy with modern abstraction. The vibrant Spring design captures renewal and rebirth themes.
- Ghazal FarkhariminorAfghan-Canadian digital artist created holiday box designs for Ziba Foods featuring illustrations of raisins, mulberries, figs, almonds with Afghan textile patterns. Her work under the Rasmorawaj brand focuses on representing Afghan culture through digital illustration.
- Scuderia AlphaTauriflagshipIn 2022, Ziba gained support from an impact investor with passion for motorsport and was assigned an official partnership with Scuderia AlphaTauri for the 2022 Formula One season. Ziba branding appeared on the AT03 race cars driven by Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda, with visibility at races worldwide including Baku, Miami, Silverstone, Barcelona, Austria, and France. The partnership was also featured in women-in-focus content highlighting women at Scuderia AlphaTauri including Taylor Rohn (Quality Checker), Carine Cridelich (Trackside Strategy Engineer), and Dominyka Kukurtye (Partnership Manager).
- EFI Food Initiative (Ethical Food Initiative)coreZiba was chosen as partner of the EFI Food Initiative, a United Nations program run by the International Trade Center and funded by the European Union to develop and expand Ziba's Traceability program. EFI provides technical expertise and business support through a network of social enterprise partners, helping develop informal micro-enterprises and provide decent working conditions for food artisans. The program supports UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- Samangan Almond AssociationcoreZiba works with the Samangan Almond Association, a formalized collective of small-hold almond farmers in Samangan province, for their traceability program Phase 1. Twenty Shakhurbai almond growers participate in the pilot traceability program with plot sizes ranging from orchards of 100-1,000 trees.
- Mirzam Chocolate MakerscoreAward-winning chocolate maker handcrafts ZIBA-branded chocolate bars using single-origin chocolate and Ziba's heirloom nuts and dried fruits. Available at Mirzam's Abu Dhabi (Qasr Al Hosn) and Dubai (Al Quoz) locations, as well as through Mirzam's website.
- Burlap & BarrelminorZiba collaborated with Burlap & Barrel to create spiced nut and dried fruit products featuring their wild mountain cumin and Herati saffron from Afghanistan. Products include Burlap & Barrel Spiced Almonds & Sweet Apricot Kernels and Burlap & Barrel Spiced Dried Fruit.
- Jones The GrocercorePremium gourmet grocery chain with 8+ locations across Abu Dhabi and Dubai stocking Ziba products including Khalidiya, Al Mamoura, Al Raha, Al Muneera in Abu Dhabi and DIFC, Al Manara in Dubai.
- Toba Adina-JaominorAfghan-American author of 'Me, Mommy, Mantu' collaborated with Ziba on a family-oriented activity sheet inspired by Afghan cooking and culture. Toba advocates for refugee rights and preservation of Afghan culture, with her book celebrating Afghan culinary traditions.
- 1004 GourmetcorePremium gourmet retailer with locations in Abu Dhabi Sky Tower and Dubai The Greens Onyx stocking Ziba products.
- Comptoir 102minorDubai-based specialty store and cafe in Jumeirah 1 that stocks Ziba products.
- The Third LineminorDubai-based creative community space and retailer in Alserkal Avenue that stocks Ziba products alongside art and creative works.
- WarfaircoreDanish retailer enabling Ziba product sales in Denmark and parts of Europe through warfair.store.
- Turquoise Mountain InstituteminorNonprofit that supports artisans, where Nematullah Ahmadi (artist collaborator) spent three years studying miniature painting. Ziba collaborates with alumni of this institute for art and cultural projects.
- Birch BakeryminorDubai-based bakery that stocks Ziba products.
- Hikma RitualsminorDubai-based retailer in Alserkal Avenue that stocks Ziba products.
- MMI Home DeliveryminorUAE home delivery service enabling Ziba product access in the region.
- Amazon.aecoreAmazon UAE marketplace enabling Ziba product sales in the United Arab Emirates.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ziba Foods competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sahale Snacks: Premium glazed and seasoned nut/trail mix brand sold through natural and specialty channels. Comparable to Ziba on premium trail mix positioning, DTC + grocery distribution, and ingredient-forward storytelling, though at meaningfully larger scale.
- Kar's Nuts: Family-owned Michigan-based trail mix and nut company with national mass-market and convenience store distribution. Comparable on trail mix SKU format and ingredient-led branding, though at significantly larger scale than Ziba.
- Made In Nature: Organic dried fruit and snacking brand (figs, mangoes, apricots) sold through natural grocery and mass retail. Comparable product format (dried fruit as hero SKU), shared organic/non-GMO positioning, and overlapping retail distribution with Ziba.
- Navitas Organics: Premium organic superfood brand specializing in nuts, seeds, and dried fruits with strong DTC and natural grocery presence. Comparable on premium 'functional' positioning, organic certifications, and DTC e-commerce model.
- Setton Farms: Vertically integrated pistachio grower/processor with branded retail products including pistachio kernels, dried fruit, and snack mixes. Comparable product mix (pistachio kernels + trail mixes) and direct-trade emphasis.
- Burlap & Barrel: Public benefit corporation sourcing single-origin spices and dried goods directly from smallholder farmers in conflict-affected and emerging regions. Directly comparable to Ziba through their co-branded product collaboration (Burlap & Barrel Spiced Almonds & Sweet Apricot Kernels), shared direct-trade philosophy, and overlapping customer base at premium specialty retailers.
Broad incumbents
- Wonderful Pistachios: Dominant US pistachio brand owned by The Wonderful Company with vertically integrated California supply chain and mass-market advertising. Comparable as a pistachio competitor; Ziba's wild Badghis pistachio kernels are positioned as a premium heirloom alternative.
- Blue Diamond Growers: Largest almond marketer globally, representing thousands of California growers with nationwide retail and foodservice distribution. Direct competitor to Ziba's Shakhurbai and Gurbandi almond SKUs from a scale and shelf-share perspective.
- Mariani Packing Company: Centennial dried fruit company (raisins, cranberries, apricots) supplying branded and private-label to mass grocery. Comparable on dried fruit category expertise, though Ziba's heirloom positioning targets a more premium niche than Mariani's mainstream footprint.
Emerging players
- Mavuno Harvest: Direct-trade dried fruit brand sourcing from African farmer cooperatives with ethical-sourcing positioning. Comparable go-to-market strategy (single-origin storytelling, ethical sourcing, premium DTC) and overlapping natural/specialty retail channels.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ziba Foods social profiles
Digital presenceZiba Foods compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Ziba Foods financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ziba Foods leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ziba Foods funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ziba Foods M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ziba Foods
What does Ziba Foods do?
Ziba Foods sources, processes, and sells heirloom and wild-grown dried fruits and nuts from Afghanistan. Products include trail mixes, dried fruits (raisins, figs, mulberries, plums, peaches, nectarines, melon), heirloom almonds, wild pistachio kernels, sweet apricot kernels, seasoned nut blends, and co-branded chocolate bars. Items are dry-roasted without oil, contain no additives or preservatives, and are packaged at the company's HACCP-certified Kabul facility for retail, wholesale, and e-commerce distribution.
Is Ziba Foods a public or private company?
Ziba Foods is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ziba Foods founded?
Ziba Foods was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ziba Foods based?
Ziba Foods is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ziba Foods make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer Retail is the primary driver. The others are marketplace Sales, wholesale Distribution, retail/Store Distribution and brand Partnership / Sponsorship.
Who are Ziba Foods's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sahale Snacks, Kar's Nuts, Made In Nature, Navitas Organics, Setton Farms and Burlap & Barrel. Broad incumbents are Wonderful Pistachios, Blue Diamond Growers and Mariani Packing Company. Mavuno Harvest is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ziba Foods have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ziba Foods.
What industry is Ziba Foods in?
Ziba Foods's product category is Dried Fruits and Nuts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADABAF, Nuts, Seeds & Trail Mix Snacks, with a secondary code of CRADABAJ, Fruit Snacks & Dried Fruit. Its NAICS code is 111335 and its SIC code is 2030.