MINA

Written by By Gemma Craven

“Sardine meatballs?”

The strained expression on my parents’ faces tells me instantly they are in no rush to try the popular Moroccan dish I am describing to them over FaceTime.

“Yes. You make them with minced sardine fillets, shaped into little balls, then cooked in tomato sauce,” I explain to my grimacing audience. “They are very popular in Morocco, where sardines are highly regarded, a big part of food culture, even.” 

“Urgh, sardines. Dad used to eat them straight from the can. I can still remember that smell,” states my father, with the voice of a man who grew up with the limited foods available in post-war 1950’s England. “Revolting,” concurs my mother, shaking her head. Sardines, it seems, have a bit of an image problem.

Yes, in European countries like France or Spain, sardines are a delicacy with many bars, restaurants and shops dedicated to eating and celebrating tinned fish. The conserva movement in Portugal places the sardine as close to royalty as a fish can probably get. 

Yet in the USA and UK, sardines remain a bottom shelf product at the mass market level.

Visit any supermarket in either country and you will find a row of indistinct red or blue sardine cans featuring clunky images of unappealing fish and poorly designed logos. They give more pet food vibes than shouting “Hey, I am a tasty tapas-style snack”. Cheap, yes. Appetizing, hell no. That could be about to change.

Enter Fouad Kallamni, founder of Mina foods. 

A man on a mission to “make more meals more Moroccan” by filling the void he saw in the US for authentic, more modern Moroccan food products. A man who believes that the consumer shouldn’t have to pay through the nose for a top-quality product. A man now bringing the latest in his line of Moroccan products to the masses, Mina sardines.   

Mina, a family brand 

The company was founded in 2010 by Fouad and his siblings in honor of their mother Mina, a professional chef and passionate cook who raised them in a home that revolved around “food, hosting people and cooking.” Every product is a family recipe, handed down through the Kallamni family for generations, and made for the family with love as Fouad was growing up in the US.

The siblings first launched Mina Harissa, a spicy paste that pairs well with, well, everything. 

“Growing up, we put my mum’s harissa on everything,” confirms Fouad. “It's the ultimate condiment; you can use it for breakfast, lunch, dinner. Unlike ketchup, which is one dimensional, harissa is much more versatile.” 

Given consumer education was an important part of launching a new product in a new market, the team focused on specialty markets and natural food stores. Having built traction there, momentum trickled down into supermarkets and more conventional grocery stores. Now their harissa is on supermarket shelves across the country. This successful launch was followed by a steady roll out of hits including Mina Shakshuka, Olive Oil, Olives, and Preserved Lemons. 

Why sardines? 

It's hard not to be swept along by Fouad’s passion for his products when speaking to him. It is also hard not to get intensely hungry, if, like me, you are a food-forward individual. I almost stop him as he describes a new range of tagine sauces, because I can’t concentrate for thinking about what I am going to cook when we hang up the phone. 

Sardines. Stay focused on the sardines. 

We turn our conversation to discussing why sardines were next on the list for the fast-growing brand.  

“I go to Morocco four or five times a year and amongst the foods I see and experience there, I see canned seafood: sardines, anchovies, and tuna,” he tells me.

“Sardines are held in a much higher regard in Morocco. They are one of the most popular street foods, for example,” he shares. “I saw when I spent time in Morocco, how sardines had a lot of respect, a beautiful appreciation. Whereas in the United States people think of sardines or anchovies, or canned seafood in general and they think ‘oh yuck, fishy, smelly’, you know.” 

I do know, yes.

“I don't want to have anything to do with that,” he continues. “I want to change perceptions of sardines in the US. The consumer currently has the choice between a couple of very expensive European brands or all these cheaper, less regarded, less respected, sardine brands, I want to make something special for everybody.”

High end design for the masses

The design of high-end sardine cans is oft discussed, from the intricate 18th and 19th century designs of French sardines to the more abstract designs found on Portuguese sardine tins, and everything in-between. 

Design has played an important role in Mina’s success in infiltrating the mass market so far and is an element that will play a key role with their sardines. 

Fouad partnered with designer Lisa Simpson to create the overall Mina concept, a modern, premium brand that was inherently Moroccan. At its core is the Moroccan mosaic tile, known as a zellige (pronounced zell-idge). Moroccan tiles feature bright colors, intricate designs, geometric shapes, and symmetrical motifs.

“We created a brand concept that would work across multiple categories,” Lisa tells me when we speak about the work.