Middle Eastern meal bases are hitting the shelves of Coles supermarkets this August, with Exotic Bazaar launching its Persian Walnut Chicken, Tunisian Shakshuka, and Moroccan Tagine products across Australia.
Founded by Iranian-born entrepreneur Gilava Pour, Exotic Bazaar was born from a simple idea: making Middle Eastern cooking easy, joyful, and accessible – no spice drawer overhaul required.
After arriving in Australia alone in 2008, she saw Middle Eastern cuisine wasn’t represented in the same accessible, everyday way as other diverse flavours.
That spark led her to create Exotic Bazaar in 2019, starting with online sales and farmers’ markets. Despite being hit hard by COVID-era challenges, Pour kept going, fuelled by customer feedback and the delight she saw when people tasted her products.
“What kept me going was seeing people’s eyes light up when they tried the food. It reminded them of travels, or family, or something new they didn’t expect to love. That sense of connection through food – that’s everything to me,” said Pour.
“We want to transport people, not just feed them. It’s like taking a trip without leaving home.”
Fast forward to 2025, and the brand has refined its offerings with a bold new range of 30-minute meal bases crafted for supermarket shelves. Each meal-base takes home cooks on a journey through the bustling souks and family kitchens of the Middle East – all in under 30 minutes, with just two added ingredients.
The range is made in Melbourne using predominantly Australian-grown produce, honouring both the country's multicultural spirit and agricultural abundance.
The packaging features rich illustrations inspired by the region of origin, and a QR code leads to a curated playlist, aiming to capture the feel of a bustling bazaar, a Moroccan courtyard, or a Persian garden.
“The category managers at Coles welcomed us with openness and understanding. They truly saw the value in offering more diverse, flavourful, and meaningful options to Australian homes, and they treated us with the care and respect you hope for as a small business,” said Pour.
Exotic Bazaar’s Middle Eastern meal bases are now available online at exoticbazaar.com.au, and will be in selected Coles supermarkets nationwide from early August.
