About Me

My recent interview with Voyage Dallas- January 5, 2023

Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today?

Thank you, David, for this amazing opportunity. My name is Rayane, I moved with my husband to the US several years ago to pursue higher education degrees where my husband advance his medical training and I get my MBA degree.

I started Fida Chocolate as a passionate small business in March 2021. I named it after my beloved mom, Fida (may her soul rest in peace). She was a true leader who dedicated her life to her family. Her amazing characteristics of elegance and generosity have become the core values and principles of Fida Chocolate.

Our main mission was to bring awareness of the Islamic holidays such as the holy month of Ramadan and Eid in a very presentable and informative way to people who don’t celebrate it. The idea came when my daughter started to attend pre-school, I looked for gifts for her teachers during our holidays, but options were very limited and not to my satisfaction. I was looking for a gift that help build bridges between different cultures and for my kids to feel proud of their parent’s Arabic heritage.

We specialize in chocolate gift boxes for Islamic holidays. We thrive every Ramadan and Eid season to provide a unique collection of chocolate boxes to our customers who trusted us and believed in our mission and vision. What differentiate us from others is not only the genuine Belgian chocolate that we carry and our exquisite flavors but also that inside each chocolate box we included a brief informative note for the recipient to learn more about the holiday. Our packaging process is very detailed and beautifully executed. Every year we pick a specific theme, and we work relentlessly on the packaging and wrapping designs. Our last chocolate boxes designs were inspired by the Moroccan Arabesque, a unique and beautiful pattern that reminded us of the Islamic geometric patterns. Each chocolate flavor was wrapped in a different design and color related to the theme.

We have a variety of chocolate box sizes to suit all customers preferences and budget. Our pricing is very reasonable and competitive to fit all budgets (starting at $6 per box). Our main goal is to spread the joy of Ramadan and Eid and share the holiday spirit with our coworkers, school staff and neighbors.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?

Turning my vision into reality wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my husband, my family, and my community along with the collaborations of many small businesses and social media influencers who believed in my mission. We had the opportunity to successfully collaborate with the largest health system in Louisiana for two consecutive years to bring awareness of Ramadan and Eid to their workplace. It was so inspiring to see many employees stopping by the informative table, asking and learning about the holy month of Ramadan while treating themselves with our chocolate gift boxes! I also remember how emotional it was when I heard 330 kids in the school greeting our kids with “Happy Ramadan” and “Happy Eid” during morning assembly. We hope that through our mission, we will be able to bring more awareness and recognition to the Islamic holidays.

For Ramadan& Eid season of 2022-2023, I’m thrilled to collaborate with small businesses, social media influencers, digital content creators, home décor designers and anyone who believe in my mission. They are welcome to reach out to me via email at fidachocolates@gmail.com and I’ll be more than happy to work with them.

Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?

It hasn’t been a smooth road for Fida Chocolates. The world of e-commerce has its unique set of challenges and I think most of small business entrepreneurs are facing a fair share of difficulties. Getting the attention of potential customers and bringing them to your online store require a strong marketing strategy and connections. I’m very thankful for the tremendous support I had from my community and the collaborations I’ve made with other small businesses& influencers to promote my unique products. I’m so excited to launch my new Ramadan collection in March 2023. Please visit my website www.fidachocolates.com to learn more!

http://voyagedallas.com/interview/inspiring-conversations-with-rayane-kabbara-el-chafic-of-fida-chocolate/