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Zwita Foods: Ancestral Tunisian Foods in Texas

posted on: Oct 12, 2022

Tunisian American brothers Karim Arem and Mansour Arem the founders of Zwita

By: Mariem Hamdi/ Arab America Contributing Writer

Tunisian-American brothers Karim Arem and Mansour Arem founded “Zwïta”, named after their maternal great-grandmother, where they offer ancestral Tunisian food products that make your life tastier.

Although born and primarily raised in the United States, The Arem brothers have spent a significant part of their childhood in Tunisia, the land of their origins.

The Tunisian way of life embraced by their parents eventually became an inseparable part of them, especially when it comes to food. Karim and Mansour have a double cultural perspective as second-generation Tunisian Americans. They felt the urge to enlighten the world about their Tunisian roots through artisanal food products that are representative of their family heritage. This is why they eventually founded Zwita in the summer of 2020. 

Houston Brothers winning the $15000 prize and being named top 10 out of 500 other businesses for this year by H.E.B

On Aug. 24 at Fair Park in Dallas, the 9th annual Quest for Texas Best competition came to a close. HEB has concluded its quest for the “best”, with 10 finalists presenting their products to a panel of judges over two days. The Houston-based brothers Karim and Mansour Arem of Zwita were among the winners, earning second place for their spicy traditional harissa.

The Arem Brothers were awarded a $15,000 cash prize, plus the coveted opportunity to showcase their products on HEB shelves nationwide. This is a great honor for them to participate in such a competition where more than 560 products were reviewed by more than 500 Texas entrepreneurs, with only 10 making it to the finals. Seek out the best at your local HEB.

Traditional Harissa Variety Pack
Zucchini + Potato Shakshuka Variety Pack
Shakshuka dish: a traditional, stew-like vegetable-loaded dish with poached eggs typical of Tunisian cooking

The Tunisian-American duo is closely involved when making their products. They are expanding Zwita’s product line with more Traditional Harissa Variety Pack and jarred Shakshuka. Currently, Zwita’s products are sold nationwide on their website and at Local Foods and the Asch Building in Houston.

They also have some authentic Tunisian recipes that you will enjoy making and tasting!

Check out Arab America’s blog here!