About the Entrepreneur
Originally from Pakistan, Ali Mussa moved to Hong Kong in the early 2000s with his family, initially working in labor-intensive jobs. His family has successfully operated a restaurant named Zaitun in Pakistan for nearly a decade, offering an authentic Pakistani dhabba experience, a roadside restaurant experience that is typically inexpensive and has a “homemade” feel to it. Inspired to bring the flavors of his hometown to Hong Kong, Ali recently launched his own restaurant by the same name, which means “olive” in Pakistani.
About the Business
Zaitun, which opened its doors on New Year’s Eve 2023, stands as one of the newest Pakistani-owned restaurants in Jordan. It offers a delightful fusion of Mediterranean and South Asian cuisines, featuring an extensive menu that includes everything from pizzas and curries to samosas, momos, kebabs, and burgers. With a chef boasting over two decades of international culinary expertise, Zaitun serves standout dishes like the fiery Sichuan Lamb and Hot and Spicy Chicken pizza alongside scrumptious Pakistani stamples the likes of Tandoori Chicken or Chicken Biryani. The restaurant caters to diverse tastes, blending traditional flavors with contemporary influences for a unique dining experience.
Interested in learning more about Zaitun? Visit Zaitun’s listing on GuideFong here!
Challenges Faced by the Entrepreneur
- Lack of Knowledge in Branding and Technology
- Ali encountered difficulties in setting up Zaitun’s Google Business profile due to his limited technical experience.
- Difficulty in Finding Resources and Service Providers for Menu Translation
- Another significant challenge was creating compelling content for social media. Ali and his team lacked the necessary skills and resources for effective online marketing – a critical aspect of sustaining and growing an F&B business in a competitive market. They also lacked the financial means and operational capacity to train or assign staff to handle social media management alone.
- Another significant challenge was creating compelling content for social media. Ali and his team lacked the necessary skills and resources for effective online marketing – a critical aspect of sustaining and growing an F&B business in a competitive market. They also lacked the financial means and operational capacity to train or assign staff to handle social media management alone.
Direct Business Support Provided by FSI and CBI Intern
Through FSI’s Community Business Internship Program, Zaitun received valuable support in addressing its challenges. With the dedicated efforts of FSI and our Community Business Intern, Saloni Sethi, who contributed a total of 15 hours of work from July to August 2024, the following objectives were accomplished
- Setting up a Google Business Profile
- Assisted Ali and his team in establishing and updating Zaitun’s Google Business Profile to enhance their search traffic, and provided guidance on maintaining their account effectively.
- Content Creation Plan for Social Media
- Developed new post templates with engaging captions using Canva, incorporating brand colors and logos to enhance visibility. We also drafted captions and created a bank of hashtags to help maximize the SEO for Zaitun’s social media content.
- Took several photos of the Zaitun and its offerings for promotional purposes in the future.
- Designed 20 posts with captions for Zaitun, including special offers and holiday promotions such as Eid (the “Feast of Breaking the Fast” following Ramadan every year).
From the Entrepreneur
“Opening Zaitun was both exhilarating and challenging. The culinary landscape in Jordan is diverse, and I wanted to carve out a unique niche. Our fusion of Mediterranean and South Asian dishes, like the fiery Sichuan Lamb pizza and the aromatic curries, has been well-received.
However, navigating the digital world was uncharted territory for me. Thanks to FSI’s Community Business Internship Program, we received invaluable support. The dedicated intern helped us set up our Google Business Profile and planned social media content. Her expertise made a significant impact.
Zaitun isn’t just about food; it’s about community. We’re grateful for the support we’ve received, and we look forward to welcoming more guests to our table.” – Ali Mussa
From the Youth
“I learned so much about the different experiences ethnic minority business owners face by talking to them directly! Everyone has such unique experiences, but community and resilience are at the heart of all their stories. Some have immigrated with their family and aim to keep it small, while others have faced much success.” – Saloni Sethi
Get Involved
Here’s how you can help FSI support more grassroots businesses in mutually beneficial ways:
- If you are a youth, join our Community Business Support Internship to equip yourself or your students with business consultation skills and help under-resourced entrepreneurs;
- If you are a working professional or a corporate body, sponsor and/or volunteer for our Community Business Support Internship, Impact Jams, Mentorship Program for Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneur’s Toolkit etc. to channel private-sector resources towards positive social impact;
- Check out GuideFong to find more grassroots businesses, try them out, leave reviews, and tell others about Hong Kong’s first online directory for ethnically diverse businesses!
