Austin, Texas-based Afia has announced that its products are being distributed at Whole Foods stores nationwide.
Whole Foods will carry Afia’s best-selling frozen falafel flavors, Afia’s Traditional Falafel and Afia Garlic and Herb Falafel, at 400 stores.
Whole Foods marks the second national retailer with whom the company has partnered, following Sprouts in 2021. This will allow Afia to reach more customers in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Florida, Midwest, Rocky Mountain and West Coast.
“Afia’s products are perfectly positioned to meet consumers’ demand for both Mediterranean cuisine, which is surging in popularity throughout the U.S. with shoppers drawn to its healthy properties, and the demand for affordable nutritious frozen food,” said Farrah Moussallati Sibai, co-founder and president.
“The care we take in producing our all natural frozen falafel free of any preservatives and additives, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options, will really speak to the Whole Foods customer.”
Afia has been focused on increasing availability and awareness over the last year, fueled by their first round of investment in 2020. In 2021, Afia grew retail distribution by 250 percent. Adding Whole Foods to their distribution puts Afia on track to double retail distribution again this year.
In May, the company announced that Harris Teeter and Giant Landover will soon carry two of its falafel products.
“Afia is family-run and the products are a tribute to our journey,” Moussallati Sibai said. “The saying ‘Afia” is a toast “to one’s health and well-being” and a reminder to brighten up your table while uplifting those around it.”
Using her mother-in-law’s Syrian family recipes, Moussallati Sibai began selling its frozen falafel and kibbeh at one farmers’ market in 2017. Today, the company is in more than 2,300 stores nationwide and is moving to a bigger 21,000-square-feet facility in the fall. The company offers six different SKUs at more than 2,300 retail locations nationwide and online.
In 2019, Afia became one of H-E-B’s Supplier Diversity Supplier of the Year award recipients and a Chobani’s Incubator brand. The brand was also recognized by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce with the Greater Austin Business Award for Best Consumer Product in 2021.
For more information about the company, visit afiafoods.com.
