Zaatar w Zeit
Zaatar w Zeit (Arabic: زعتر وزيت), a commercial brand of the Lebanese company Breakfast & Co. S.A.L., is an urban eatery franchise founded in Lebanon in 1999[1] and operating with 23 outlets in Lebanon and more than 70 outlets throughout the Middle East, including 20 in the United Arab Emirates. The company also has outlets in Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia and most recently, Canada
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Société Anonyme Libanaise (S.A.L.) | |
Industry | Restaurant |
Founded | 1999 |
Founders | Donald Daccache, Antoine Bou Chdid, Marwan Atallah |
Headquarters | , |
Areas served | Lebanon, U.A.E., KSA, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Canada |
Key people | Donald Daccache CEO, Mahmoud Sobh GM |
Products | Wraps, salads, manakish, coffees and juices |
Number of employees | 1370 |
The name Zaatar W Zeit (stylized as zaatar w zeit) refers to thyme or za'atar in Arabic, a common Middle Eastern herb in Levantine Arabic cuisine used notably in preparation of za'atar manakish and other recipes, and zeit (Arabic for olive oil in this context). The franchise has since introduced a far more varied menu than just za'atar-based products.
Company
![](../I/m/Zaatar_W_Zeit_Sodeco.jpg)
History and expansion
Zaatar w Zeit restaurant started as a self-operating business in Lebanon and has expanded through more branches in Lebanon and with franchisees abroad. Headquartered in Jeita, Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon, it is one of Lebanon's largest restaurant chains. The central kitchen and warehouses are also in Jeita, Zouk Mosbeh. The company began back in 1999 selling Lebanese dough food such as manakish. They also have international operations in a number of countries in the Middle East.[2][3][4]
United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia
Food conglomerate Cravia has operated franchises in the United Arab Emirates since June 2005 and, in partnership with Health Food Company, in the KSA since 2013[5]. A number of outlets in the UAE are open 24/7 [6]. A discount is offered to government employees with the Esaad card. In some areas of Dubai, electric motorbikes have been trialed since late 2018 in an attempt to increase operational sustainability[7].
"Zaatar w Zeit" was the first Lebanese restaurant chain to be certified with the ISO 22000:2005[1][8] in April 2008.
The company has made donations to various charities.[9][10]
- Logo
In 2011, Pearl Fisher[11] created a new visual identity for Lebanese food retail chain, aiming for a "bolder contemporary look and feel".[12] Jonathan Ford, the Creative Partner in Pearl Fisher, said, "The new logo is a distinctive, modern marque that provides a more literal and graphic expression by creating a simple link between the thyme and the oil, the leaf and the droplet, and forms a distinctive "Z" within the negative space."[13]
References
- Asharq Al-Awsat, London: «زعتر وزيت».. وأصبح للمنقوشة بيتها - أبسط المكونات تتحول إلى سلسلة مطاعم (in Arabic)
- Al-Hayat, London: «زعتر وزيت» تفتتح أكبر معرض لها في الشرق الأوسط في «تحلية» الرياض (in Arabic)
- Al Sharq Saudi Arabia: «اللفائف العربية» تفتتح أول فروع علامتها التجارية «زعتر وزيت» (in Arabic)
- Arab Weeks: خطة استثمارية تبلغ قيمتها 30 مليون ريال سعودي “زعتر و زيت” بفتح أكبر فرع على مستوى الشرق الأوسط في الرياض (in Arabic)
- "Wraps Arabia opens 1st outlet in Saudi". www.tradearabia.com. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
- "About | Zaatar W Zeit". Retrieved 2019-11-18.
- "Zaatar w Zeit restaurants start using electric motorbikes for deliveries". Logistics Middle East. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
- "ISO 22000:2005 - Food safety management systems - Requirements for any organization in the food chain". ISO. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- Bteich, Fred (25 March 2013). "ZWZ Hamra Donates To DSC On March 22nd". Dsc blog. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- "News Details". FoodBlessed. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- "Pearlfisher". Pearlfisher. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- Gosling, Emily (21 July 2011). "Pearlfisher rebrands Lebanese food retailer | News". Design Week. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- "Pearlfisher Creates New Brand Identity for Zaatar W Zeit". Popsop. Retrieved 22 January 2014.