Tamraty

Rayan Maimani and Homam Bogary aren’t your typical Saudis. Not content to just mull about their day jobs, they chose to start their very own gourmet sweets and date business. While other men their age may be out cruising the streets, or whistling away their youth, Rayan and Homam have been spending all their spare time working on their latest venture ‘Tamraty Al Momayazah’, or ‘Distinctive Dates’, a gourmet date store with a modern twist.

On arrival, all guests are welcomed with traditional Arabic coffee, and given a tour of the products being offered. Both Rayan and Homam have an excellent grounding and knowledge of the numerous varieties of dates on offer. It is no wonder that Rayan and Homam are cousins, and that this family business is infused with welcoming touches. The duo decided to start a family business after Rayan came back from the states in early 2009. Within a few months they had sketched out their idea, and the concept of Tamraty was born.

What really sets Tamraty apart from the competition is their exclusive sweets. Take the ‘Momayazah’ for example. These small glossy balls of caramel look like marbles. You expect them to be hard based on their appearance, but risk a bite and you will be pleasantly surprised by the satisfying crunch that follows. The Mamool is also different here. Baked by the duo’s grandmother, the sweet cakes are as homemade as you can get and you can really taste the difference. As for the dates, varieties from across the Kingdom are available, but the owners are particularly proud of their Medjool dates, which are dark, smooth and creamy; almost like eating molten toffee. Presentation is key and appears to be something that the duo has down to a tee. Seasonal dates are cleaned, washed and offered for the same price as elsewhere in the market. Special trays and platters of dates are also available, but with a twist. For example, you can have an array of dates wrapped up in the form of a small palm tree for something really different. These creative items are sure to be a hit across town. Their ambition is “to do what New Zealand did for the Kiwi,” explained Rayan, others offering similar quality of up-market products include Bateel and Ganache. But the duo hastened to add that all of the offerings at Tamraty are unique and custom-made for the store. For example, Tamraty’s selection of date sweets include imaginative ingredients such as cornflakes, coconut, caramel and even new takes on the form the sweets should come in. Instead of sprinkling some pistachio powder over a date, you actually get a pistachio mixed date balls. These small spheres are tiny little bites, but rich and satisfying.Their mouthful sized mini date cakes are also fantastic. Tamoor, the Mascot is also a first for a Sweet shop in Jeddah (at least that we are aware of). It’s certainly quirky. A large legged date with cartoon-like eyes stares out through the windows at passersby or those approaching the store. Homam’s sister was responsible for all the branding and the logo design. Right down to the packaging, everything is ‘Saudi Made.’

How old are you both? What is your background?

Homam Bogary: I’m 27 and I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration specialized in Marketing and a Masters in Industrial Management.

Rayan Maimani: I’m 26 years old. I got my Bachelor of

Science in Business Administration specializing in Marketing and my Master Degree in Occupational Safety.

What inspired you to start your own business?

The date is one of the national products, which is exported by Saudi Arabia, and it is one of the most available food resources in Saudi Arabia. When we were studying the market we found that all date stores are very traditional, focusing only on serving the need of the month of Ramadan. That is what encouraged us to develop this concept.

We believe dates are as good as chocolates and therefore suitable for all social gatherings. We developed the date industry by making Tamraty al Momayazah, or “really special date,” by filling the date with special recipes, making them one of the best decorative dates ever.

Tamraty Al Momayazah? What inspired the name?

We were looking for a modern, easy, and memorable name.

What’s your unique selling point? How do your prices compare to the competition?

Tamraty is different in its way of promoting dates. While we were studying the market we found that all date shops have a straight cultural atmosphere. We decided to go down the modern route, even in our advertising. That’s because we are targeting everybody. Kids, for example, have started to choose our uniquely filled dates over their usual chocolates. In fact, it’s happened more than once that a kid stops his father at our shop to check our products because they are in love with Tamraty Al Momayazah’s mascot, Tamoor. Our unique selling point is dates with a modern touch. As far as the prices go, as they say: quality has its price.

You mentioned you will be offering date shakes! They sound great and would go well with your date cakes and cupcakes.

We are launching them very soon. We are in the final stages of developing the recipe for these unique milk shakes.

What are your plans for the future?

Our main challenge will be to change the concept of the date to the general public. We are also planning on opening new stores. A new store will open very soon on Al Tahliah Street in Jeddah. Our expansion plan is to have at minimum a new store every six to eight months.