The Path to a Better World Begins with...Hummus?

Sometimes the quest for happiness and prosperity leads us on unforeseen adventures through life. Sometimes, we end up making hummus. At least, Elliot Sharifi did. 

Just a few years ago, the Bay Area entrepreneur behind Obour Foods was working his way up the ranks in Corporate America, crunching numbers, clocking long hours and presumably making a fine living when he realized he’d nearly sealed a fate he didn’t want. 

Even for a numbers guy, there had to be more to life than data.

“I've been a nerd at heart my entire life so making a career out of computers and number-crunching seemed like the natural thing to do,” Sharifi tells Replate. “After traveling the world for a year, I settled in Mountain View and was a corporate financial analyst for Hewlett-Packard, I later moved to the city and worked on the finance team at HotelTonight. Basically, I stared at spreadsheets and financial models for 9 hours a day. It was soul-crushing.”

An avid cook since childhood, food remained a positive element in Sharifi’s life. His family emigrated from Iran in the late-80s, where they kept hold of their Persian roots through cooking. On any given day, the table spread could include lamb and kabobs, or meats and vegetables seasoned with turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, sumac, and fresh herbs. 

Food was serious, however hummus was not. 

“Ironically, Persians traditionally don't eat any hummus with their dishes, it's mostly an Arab, Israeli, or Levantine thing,” Sharifi points out. 

Nevertheless, like any good entrepreneur, Sharifi noticed a hole - or opportunity, rather - after constantly buying supermarket hummus, averaging $5 a piece, and feeling underwhelmed. What could certainly be made much cheaper, Sharifi believed, could also be made better.

So, that’s what he did with Obour Foods. Launched in 2017, the company offers an array of small batch hummus and tahini, made in-house and sourced in the Bay Area, and sold online or through farmers markets. There are classic flavors and spicier options, all with a focus on quality ingredients. 

Each week, Sharifi and his team produce enough jars to sell at 12 farmers markets across the area. With any unsold remainders, Obour donates to Replate to be distributed to our nonprofit organizations in the community.

“Replate is great because they take all the work and headache out of donating by coming directly to us on essentially a moment's notice,” he comments. “Of course, I'd rather not throw away any of our excess food, and paying a small fee to remove that headache from our operations team is worth it 100%.” 

Plus, it offers the company a chance to share its treasures with those who might not have access.

Sharifi explains, “Obour products are expensive, but not overpriced. In any currency-based society, those with more of it will be able to provide for themselves better and more high-quality food. These are the people who shop at our farmers markets. By donating, I'm cheered on by the fact that those who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to try my products are now able to.”

Passing along good food is only the start of Sharifi’s drive towards sustainability. Obour also encourages reusable packaging through its jar return program. Customers who bring their empty hummus jars to farmers markets get a dollar credit towards their next purchase for every jar returned. Some jars, he says, have been returned and reused upwards of seven times.

Through his journey, ups and downs, and ultimate success with Obour, Sharifi has experienced a sort of enlightenment when it comes to the transformative power of food.

“When I was working a corporate job, I was really struggling to find meaning in my life,” he says. “After hearing stories of eager families who ritually buy Obour products every week, to the mom and daughter who were spurred to spontaneously dancing in their kitchen, hummus jar in-hand, to the man who emailed me saying that my hot curry hummus allowed him to ‘speak directly with God,’ and the countless people who eagerly announce that this is the ‘best hummus they've ever had,’ I've realized that I have the power to actually make other people, complete strangers, happy...without uttering a single word myself.”

He adds, “With Obour, I've somehow found a vessel that reliably spreads joy to others.”