Freekeh Harvest Baked Pita Chips to debut at Fancy Food Show
The freekeh grain was discovered around 2300 B.C. by accident.
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Freekeh ("free-kuh") Harvest Baked Pita Chips is the first product in the U.S. to use the freekeh grain in a snack food. The company is based in Michigan, woman-owned, and was developed by a Michelin Star chef.
Freekeh was discovered around 2300 B.C. by accident. A civil war was raging in the Eastern Mediterranean. Under siege and worried they would lose everything, the village farmers harvested their wheat early, while still green, and hid the grain in storage barns. The barns were burned, but the farmers discovered that when they rubbed the burnt grain chaff together, a roasted high protein seed with a unique nutty flavor emerged, and freekeh was born. The word freekeh comes from the Arabic word "farik," meaning "to rub."
In her many world travels, Leslie Touma, a former Metro Detroit auto executive and proud granddaughter of Lebanese immigrants to America, noticed how much freekeh, a slow-roasted Mediterranean supergrain, was a staple of the Mediterranean diet. She decided to bring freekeh to America in the form of a protein-rich pita chip, perfect for healthy snacking on-the go.
Along with her team, including Michelin-starred Chef Michael Fusano, executive chef at La Bise in the heart of Washington DC, who developed the recipe for the chips' nutty and complex flavor, Touma created Freekeh Harvest Baked Pita Chips, a revolutionary new snack product.
Snacking nutritiously was the driver behind the development of Freekeh Harvest Baked Pita Chips, which deliver a nutty, roasted, smokey taste and nutritional powerhouse in every serving. The chips provide three times more protein and fiber, fewer calories and up to 50% less fat than other pita chips. They are Non-GMO Project Verified, Vegan, contain no artificial colors or flavors and have no cholesterol or transfat.
"Our target customers are healthy snackers, which includes everyone from Mom's looking for healthy snack options for the family and 'foodies' looking for a new snack experience," said Freekeh Harvest Owner and President Touma, adding that their product is currently in over 40+ Michigan stores "and counting!"
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