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In 2012, an idea to create a colorful Egyptian-coded brand came to life. The idea was to dance between having a food truck and a fancy restaurant together in one space. Something in between. A middle-grounded restaurant that made every Egyptian feel welcomed. Zööba, one of the most unique Egyptian food restaurants, didn’t only smell like Egypt but felt like it as well. Zööba’s founders were a few dreamers who decided in 2011 that Egyptian street food deserved the right acknowledgement with a rebrand that earned them a global seat at the table.
In Zööba, you don’t get served food only. You are served with stories. The same kind you find written down and drawn on the walls of downtown streets. Now Egyptian food is known to be unique. That is why Zööba decided that they will take the uniqueness of the taste to a whole new level of global. And this… this is their brand story from Cairo to KSA, Dubai, and even New York.
Egyptian Flavors with a Modern Dress
The Egyptian cuisine is known to be an honest one. Food? Honest? How? Simply put… it doesn’t have any pretense or fuss. It is that kind of food that feeds both body and memory. And this is exactly when Zööba saw an opportunity. An opportunity of wrapping up that authenticity and dressing it with a modern look. A look that would later on suit the name to be internationally recognizable.
So, while the dishes definitely stayed Egyptian, the presentation of a “foul medames” plate would turn into a design statement. One with bright colors. Maybe some layered textures and vibrant patterns that make you feel as if you’re experiencing Cairo’s lively streets.
Designing Egypt’s Visual Flavor
Zööba didn’t decide to cross the Atlantic from Cairo to KSA , Dubai, or even New York solely. They actually decided to bring along Egypt with them. Zööba teamed up with design powerhouses like &Walsh for their New York city launch in order to create a brand identity that is capable of capturing the Cairo core in a foreign city.
Looking up the streets for better inspiration, they hand-painted signs, taped up posters on peeling walls, and created colorful tiles. Every single aspect of Cairo’s colorfulness, along with what made its chaos charming enough, made its way into Zööba’s design. Even their logo became something of a visual representation of how modernity met face-to-face with nostalgia and traditional colors and flavors.
Not Just a Restaurant but More of an Exhibition
Global Zööba meets you with the same blue signature door and that unique way of writing their name. In New York, the walls are tiled with pastel-colored tiles, and in the middle, you’re greeted with a center table like a kitchen with a stall to sit and enjoy your food at. What’s catchy are the Egyptian phrases written on the walls of the stall. Designed to mimic the way foul carts are designed in Egypt. Zööba made sure that their experience neared authenticity to the core.
When you look above, you’ll be greeted with a pattern of designs in neon lamps that add to the chaotic yet minimal atmosphere. It all looks like it’s in contrast with the white walls and pastel tiles; however, it just might be the perfect level of contrast needed to capture the right Cairo vibe. And aside from the wall of many Egyptian sayings written with all the vibrant colors of Egyptian streets, their packaging weaves in details of so many Egyptian stories.
Koshari is served in stainless steel plates just like in Egypt, and hawashi is wrapped in printed paper that looks like the newspaper that falafel or as we call it, “ta’meya,” is served in from a foul cart. The name of the brand “Zööba” itself means “a fun get-together” and is another element that adds to the fact that the Zööba team was able to create a place where every experience is supposed to be a sensory art piece.
One that sings along with the Cairo rhythm yet appeals enough with the Brooklyn swag. Zööba is a place that created a meaningful brand story. One that proves how good food is always more memorable with people, a good place, great vibes, and that sense of nostalgia.
Serving Culture on a Vibrant Hot Platter
The success that Zööba is reaping is one that is based on two words: cultural pride. Being proud of your identity, who you are, and what your culture has to offer inspires great storytelling. It makes you passionate about telling the story in all the right ways. Ways that make people want to not only listen but experience what you’re saying as well. And Zööba? They were so passionate to the extent of creating their own merch with catchy phrases such as “if you’re not making a mess, you’re not doing it right.”
Another creative detail is writing on their napkin, “hey, you’ve got tahina on your shirt.” Another eye-catching detail was the choking poster. Using a crocodile from the nile as an illustrative icon to help someone who may be choking is another level of creative. Nubian colors, cairo traffic, vibrancy in every corner, and that amazing blue door—they just nailed it.
Wrapping It Up!
Many brands nowadays chase minimalism. Zööba chose to merge it with the Egyptian maximalism. A bit of this on that and there you go. You have a brand that was able to capture the essence of Cairo. In every visual, color, pattern, scent, or even sound. It all screams the beauty of Egypt, luring in people who may just have the slightest curiosity about the authentic taste of spices and Egyptian uniqueness in the most joyful and unapologetic way ever.
To conclude the brand story of Zööba, it is safe to say that this is a brand that created a room of healthy communication between culture, food, and art. Minds that created a space that is more than a restaurant. They took Egypt and introduced it to global tables in the most efficient of ways.
