BetterNutrition August 2021

PASSION BEHIND THE PRODUCT *
companies fostering personal & global well-being
Ziba Foods
These flavorful new products are helping restore Afghanistan’s
reputation as a world leader in unique gourmet ingredients.
BY NEIL ZEVNIK
Mention Afghanistan today, and it
immediately conjures images of danger,
destruction, and despair. But there was
a time not that many years ago when
its beautiful countryside was a major
source of exceptional dried fruits and
nuts—before conflict and its consequences
intervened.
When Patrick Johnson and Raffi
Vartanian first visited the country, they
experienced the daily ritual of afternoon
tea accompanied by a beautiful spread of
dried fruits and nuts. “We were blown
away by the taste and variety. Listening
to our friends and their family speak so
proudly of the products that were once
considered the best quality in the world,
we knew we wanted everyone to enjoy
this discovery in the same way we did.”
That, of course, was easier said
than done in this strife-riven country.
It took several years and many visits
to select suitable products (there were
109 varieties of almonds alone), create
a sustainable supply chain, and build a
factory. Once that was accomplished,
Johnson and Vartanian got their artisanal
heirloom products in front of some
eager, high-end New York chefs, and
Ziba Foods was launched.
Deep Roots
Drawing from centuries
of agricultural
traditions that
relied upon both
cultivated and
wild-foraged fruits
and nuts, Johnson
and Vartanian were
able to source unique
offerings such as wild
white mulberries and
pistachio kernels, tree-dried
“We were blown away by the taste and variety,” Ziba founders Patrick Johnson and
Raffi Vartanian say of their first exposure to Afghan cuisine. “We knew we wanted
everyone to enjoy this discovery in the same way we did.”
apricots and sun-dried figs, Parwan
walnuts and Kishmish raisins, and
Gurbandi almonds.
But the pair had more than just
cuisine and commerce in mind. They
envisioned a company that would
disrupt the imbalance between farmers
and traders, pay farmers quickly and
fairly, guarantee quality, and restore
the reputation of Afghan products.
But their aspirations went even
deeper in their desire to improve
the lives and conditions of the
farmers and communities
that they helped support.
“Some aspects of operating
in Afghanistan can
be extremely frustrating—security
is often an
issue, social norms
are certainly not
what we’re used
to. It can be really
difficult, as
quite a bit of responsibility rests on our
shoulders, for our employees and their
families, the communities they live in,
and our farmers. It starts adding up, and
so our decisions have a deeper impact.”
Driving Change
Since Afghan women are often marginalized,
Ziba maintains a workforce that
is 85 percent female. Employment is
year-round despite the cyclical nature of
harvesting, and employees are offered
industry-related training. Johnson and
Vartanian sum it up beautifully: “We
reached a point in life where it was no
longer a tenable proposition to lament
our day-to-day work and wonder ‘What
else can we be doing with our lives?’ We
love making the connection to consumers
who are excited to try new products. But
we’re also drawn to the developmental
aspects of our work—the impact we have
on the ground. It’s extremely rewarding
to participate in that transformation.”
Photo: @zibafoods
12 • AUGUST 2021