Today we’d like to introduce you to Hamed Hamad.
Hamed, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After my father passed away in 2013, I wanted to honor his legacy in the food industry. My father’s most popular item on his menu was Falafel, and it was the only recipe that I had of his. In 2018, I decided to start my company in Los Angeles and participated in several farmers’ markets in the city. Once Covid hit, the business climate in LA was uncertain, and getting my product into stores was almost impossible. In 2020, I decided to redo my company in Cleveland, which is where my father’s catering business started in the ’80s.
Currently, my Falafel product is in over 25 retail stores and is a food item at a handful of restaurants in the area. My goal is to be all over the US and share my father’s falafel with everyone!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Not a smooth road at all. From hauling my falafel machine cross country from LA to Cleveland to doing non-food demos in stores to help build consumer faith during Covid to dealing with farmers’ market shutdowns, the last 3 years have been very challenging!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a journalist by profession and owner of my food business, Fedora Food. I give myself lots of credit for keeping my business afloat during Covid, which is still a challenge. Whenever I get the opportunity, I still like to keep my creative writing skills polished by doing freelance work. Writing is a big passion of mine!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Many people who see me think that everything in my life is perfect. I would tell them, “I just learned how to camouflage my stress and not let people see it. That might be a blessing or a curse, but little do people know that I have 2 jobs (not including my freelance work), and it’s not easy! I have my business during the day and work at a restaurant at night.”
One personal thing about me that people don’t know is how much I love European living. After visiting London and Scotland in 2017, I fell in love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fedorafood.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fedorafoodllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fedorafood
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@fedorafood
