Meet Rawia Abdelsamad of Beituti

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rawia Abdelsamad.

Hi Rawia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born and raised in the Chouf mountains of Lebanon, where food was more than just nourishment — it was storytelling, identity, and connection. After building a successful career in management consulting across Beirut, and Dubai, I moved to the U.S. with my husband and three kids, eventually settling in Cleveland. It was here, in the Midwest, that I felt both the ache of missing home and the spark of a new idea.

Like many immigrants, I longed for the flavors I grew up with — the kind you can’t find in a jar. But as a working mom, I didn’t have time to make every dish from scratch. And when I searched for Middle Eastern products in stores, I found options that were either inauthentic, full of preservatives, or simply didn’t exist. That’s when Beituti was born.

Beituti — which means homey in Arabic — is my love letter to Lebanese food and culture. We make clean-label and modern Middle Eastern pantry products inspired by generations of home cooking. Think: shawarma marinades, tahini sauces, and (soon) baking mixes like turmeric semolina cake — made with real ingredients, no shortcuts.

Launching a food business from scratch, especially in a new city, is not easy. But Cleveland has surprised me in the best way — the people here are generous, curious, and hungry for bold, global flavors. We started small — local stores, farmers markets, cooking classes — and today Beituti is on shelves across Ohio and beyond.

Through Beituti, I’m not just building a brand. I’m creating a bridge — between cultures, kitchens, and communities. Because food is how we welcome, how we remember, and how we belong.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Launching Beituti has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done — but also one of the hardest. I came into this space after years in management consulting, where everything was structured, high-paced, and rooted in strategy. Shifting into entrepreneurship — especially in an entirely new field like food — was disorienting. I was used to delivering client-ready presentations and roadmaps; suddenly, I was sourcing bottles, chasing down co-packers, and troubleshooting why my tahini sauce was separating. There were moments of self-doubt, especially when others questioned why I’d walk away from a “successful” career to start something so uncertain.

And I didn’t do it in a vacuum. I was — and still am — raising three children while building this business from the ground up. Every day has been a juggle: managing production calls between school drop-offs, replying to retailers from the carpool line, and trying to grow Beituti while also being fully present at home.

With no prior experience in food manufacturing, I had to learn everything on the job — from navigating FDA guidelines and co-packing logistics to dealing with bottling issues and mastering shelf stability. Each hurdle came with a steep learning curve.

And because we’re bootstrapped, I’ve had to be extremely scrappy. We don’t have a big marketing budget or agency backing us. Everything has been built through organic content, community partnerships, media outreach, and showing up — at demos, in kitchens, on social media. I’ve worn every hat, from founder to fulfillment to front-of-house. It’s exhausting — but it’s also deeply fulfilling. Every win feels personal. Every shelf placement, every returning customer, every message that says, “This reminds me of home” — that’s the fuel that keeps me going.

We’ve been impressed with Beituti, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Beituti is a Lebanese-American food brand rooted in heritage and built for today’s pantry.

We specialize in bold, clean-label products like shawarma marinades and tahini-based sauces that make it easy to cook flavorful Middle Eastern meals at home — no complicated prep required.

What sets Beituti apart is our balance of authenticity and simplicity: each product is inspired by time-honored family recipes but adapted to the pace of modern life. Our ingredients are carefully sourced with no seed oils, refined sugar, or artificial preservatives.

Headquartered in Cleveland, we launched Beituti to fill a gap in the market for high-quality, approachable Middle Eastern flavors. Since then, we’ve grown through word-of-mouth, local partnerships, and a deeply engaged community of customers who care about what they eat

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I didn’t have deep roots in the food industry, so I had to actively seek out people who could help me navigate everything from co-packing to branding. Some of the most helpful guidance didn’t come from formal mentorships, but from generous conversations with fellow founders who were willing to share their lessons learned.

One of the most meaningful communities I’ve found is the Wonder Women of Food group here in Cleveland. It’s a powerful reminder that you don’t have to do it alone. Being surrounded by women who are building, hustling, and sharing openly — that in itself has been a form of mentorship. Even if we’re in different parts of the food world, there’s so much wisdom in the room. I still hope to find a long-term mentor who has scaled a mission-driven brand, but in the meantime, these collective voices have been incredibly grounding and motivating.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.eatbeituti.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatbeituti/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatbeituti
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rawia-abdelsamad-160808b/