Zö​​öba

Introducing an Egyptian street food restaurant to NYC for one of the year's biggest launches

Challenge

Cairo-based street food restaurant Zö​​öba needed help launching their flagship US location in New York’s trendy Nolita neighborhood. New York City has the most famous (and daunting) food scene in the world, so Zö​​öba needed to find a way to stand out without losing its unique cultural identity.

Solution

TRUST developed a four-pronged media strategy, targeting prominent NYC tastemakers like Grubstreet, Eater, and TimeOut and more, as well as culture, business, and design media, with vibrant images of the restaurant and the story of the founders’ mission to bring Egyptian food, culture and sense of community to the US. TRUST then coordinated outreach to New York’s most notable food reviewers and Instagram food influencers, leading to overwhelmingly glowing sentiment and generating millions of impressions.

Key Quotes

Since it was founded in 2012, the Cairo-based chainlet Zö​​öba has expanded to six locations (and counting). Tomorrow, Chris Khalifa and his co-founder chef Moustafa El Refaey will make good on that vision with their first American location.

– Grubstreet

 

Zö​​öba’s Egyptian street food will be the first thing you think about at the end of your workout, before your lunch break, and at midnight when you’re drunk and want to confess your love to a sandwich that doesn’t know you exist.

– The Infatuation

 

The hawawshi and other warming snacks serve as a rockin’ antidote to a cold November evening.

– Eater

 

Striving for a ‘Cairo meets New York’ aesthetic, the newest addition also features an intricately painted bar surrounded by seating common in Cairo street cafes.

– Architectural Digest

 

While, the food is the main draw it isn’t the only appealing thing about the restaurant. Also go for the unique and cosy vibe thanks to the cool LED lighting and kitsch decor, including hand-painted wall paintings paying respect to Cairo’s street carts.

– Vogue

Key Influencers

Vegan Eats NYC
Food Baby NY
Sydthekids
Girleatsnyc
Nycollegebites