When Gilava Pour first moved from Iran to Australia in 2008, she brought with her a rich heritage of Middle Eastern hospitality – a culture where food is the biggest expression of love and connection.
It’s this passion that Gilava transformed into Exotic Bazaar, the company bringing soul-warming dishes into your kitchen through meal bases, spice blends and cake kits. With just a few fresh ingredients, Aussies can enjoy real Middle Eastern flavours in their homes.
We sat down with Gilava to discuss how she spreads her love of food to Aussies, and the process of scaling up her business.
Was there a specific moment that made you decide to transform your passion for food into a business?
There was no single moment that made me decide to start Exotic Bazaar. Instead, two things kept happening.
The first was at work. I used to be an IT data analyst, and I would often bring homemade Iranian food into the office for lunch. People would gather around, ask what I had made, taste things, and often want the recipe. I could see how curious they were, but I also noticed that when it came to cooking the dishes themselves, they didn’t know where to begin.
The second was in supermarket aisles. When I first moved to Australia, I loved seeing food choices from all around the world, but I kept wondering why Middle Eastern food – with all its heritage, generosity and flavour – was still so underrepresented. That was the beginning of Exotic Bazaar. I wanted to make those flavours easier to bring into Australian homes.
What is the biggest misconception Australians have about cooking Middle Eastern cuisine at home? How does Exotic Bazaar tackle it?
I think the biggest misconception is that Middle Eastern food is too difficult to cook at home. People often imagine long ingredient lists, hours of preparation and unfamiliar spices, and they fear getting it wrong. But at its heart, Middle Eastern food is generous, comforting and very home-based. It is food made to be shared.
Exotic Bazaar helps to remove that barrier. Our meal bases are designed so people can create something full of flavour in around 30 minutes, usually by adding just a couple of fresh ingredients. It gives people the confidence to try dishes and flavours they may have only experienced in restaurants or at someone else’s table.
I never want to strip the food of its story or soul. The aim is to make the first step easier, so people feel excited rather than intimidated.
How does staying rooted in your personal cultural story help you connect with your customers?
My story is not something added on later. It is the reason the business exists.
I came to Australia from Iran in 2008, and like many migrants, food was one of the ways I stayed connected to home while also finding my place here. In Iranian culture, food is how you welcome people, show love and bring everyone together.
That feeling is at the heart of Exotic Bazaar, and customers connect because it’s authentic. They are not just buying a sauce, spice blend or cake kit. They are trying a flavour, a dish name, a memory and a little piece of culture. The Persian Love Cake is a good example. It feels beautiful, fragrant and celebratory, but the kit makes it approachable. People can bake something that feels special without needing to search for every ingredient and bake it from scratch.
Congratulations on bringing Exotic Bazaar to select Coles Stores! What did the process of scaling up for major supermarket retailers look like?
Getting into selected Coles stores nationally was a huge milestone, but it definitely didn’t happen overnight.
Exotic Bazaar started at markets, with food made in a hired commercial kitchen. Those early markets were important because I could speak directly to customers, explain the dishes, watch their reactions and understand what they connected with.
As the business grew, we had to become more retail-ready. That meant improving packaging, instructions, supply chain and everything in between. A good product is not enough in supermarket retail. You need to be able to deliver consistently.
For a regional, multicultural and founder-led business, seeing our products on Coles shelves was very emotional. It meant Middle Eastern flavours were no longer left on the edge. They were part of everyday Australian shopping baskets, and that felt incredibly meaningful.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned over the last few years as you’ve made a name in the Australian food industry?
The biggest lesson is to stay focused on the problem you’re solving. It’s easy to get excited about your product, especially when it comes from your culture or personal story. But the customer needs to understand where it fits in their life. Why should they buy it? How do they use it? What does it make easier, better or more enjoyable?
For us, the problem was clear. Australians were curious about Middle Eastern food, but many felt unsure about cooking it at home. So, everything had to come back to that. It was flavour, culture and confidence, but made practical.
The other lesson is persistence. Retail can move slowly, and small businesses have to keep adapting. You need passion, but you also need systems, numbers, and a willingness to keep improving.
What’s next for Exotic Bazaar?
The next stage is growing our range while staying true to Exotic Bazaar’s core mission. We want to keep making Middle Eastern food easier and more familiar for everyday Australian homes. That means new meal bases, more practical spice products, and more baking products that bring the beauty of Middle Eastern flavours into everyday Aussie kitchens.
We are also working on bringing more of the business into Ballarat as we grow. Ballarat is home for us, and building from a regional city is something I am proud of. I would love Exotic Bazaar to keep creating opportunities locally, while taking Middle Eastern flavours to more households across Australia.
Ultimately, I want the brand to become a doorway into culture. A way for people to travel through flavour, try something new, and feel a little more connected around the table.
Find Exotic Bazaar at select Coles or shop online at her website here.
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