My Big Idea: Moroccan gastronomy gifting brand Raphia

Zineb Faress is the founder of Raphia, a London-based luxury gifting business built around contemporary Moroccan gastronomy. Combining her hospitality background with a clear gap she identified in the premium gifting market, Zineb has grown Raphia from a founder-led concept into a multi-channel business spanning direct-to-consumer sales, corporate gifting, bespoke commissions, retail and brand collaborations. Her ambition is to scale Raphia internationally while positioning Moroccan craftsmanship, flavour and hospitality within the global luxury market.

Hi Zineb! What’s your elevator pitch?

Raphia is a London-based luxury confectionery house bringing the richness of Morocco to an international audience in a contemporary way. We take the flavours, craftsmanship and rituals I grew up with and reinterpret them through beautifully designed chocolates, pastries, dates, confectionery and gifts. It is Morocco beyond the clichés, sophisticated, modern and deeply rooted in heritage.

Why does the market need it?

Moroccan culture is incredibly rich, but I felt its representation within luxury food and gifting was still quite limited. Morocco was often reduced to the same familiar imagery and flavours, when there is so much more to explore. Raphia exists to show another side: the craftsmanship, ingredients, generosity and sophistication of Moroccan hospitality, presented in a way that feels relevant to a global luxury consumer.

Where is the business today?

Raphia has grown from a personal idea into a recognised London luxury confectionery house, working across direct-to-consumer, corporate gifting, bespoke commissions and collaborations. We have taken the brand into Selfridges and worked with private clients, businesses and luxury hospitality partners, while continuing to expand the world of products we create. What began predominantly with chocolate has evolved into a much broader expression of Moroccan gastronomy and gifting.

What made you think there was an opportunity here?

When I moved to London, I was struck by how international the food scene was, yet the Morocco I knew was not really represented. I could find Moroccan-inspired products, but very little that captured the refinement, generosity and attention to detail that I associated with growing up in Morocco. I realised there was an opportunity not simply to sell Moroccan food, but to build a luxury brand capable of telling that story properly.

How did you research the niche?

A lot of the initial research came from lived experience. I grew up in Casablanca surrounded by Moroccan food, family gatherings and hospitality, and then studied Hospitality Management in Geneva, which gave me a very different understanding of international luxury standards. I also spent time looking closely at the London market, speaking to customers, testing products and understanding how people responded to Moroccan flavours when they were presented in a more contemporary way. That combination of heritage, hospitality training and listening to the customer became the foundation of Raphia.

What’s wrong with your competitors?

I wouldn’t say there is anything inherently wrong with them, there are some wonderful food and gifting brands in the market. What I felt was missing was a brand occupying the space between authentic Moroccan gastronomy and contemporary luxury. You often found one or the other: something very traditional in presentation, or a luxury product that borrowed Moroccan aesthetics without having that deeper cultural connection. Raphia’s difference is that the heritage is genuine, but we are not afraid to reinterpret it.

What’s your biggest strength?

Authenticity. Morocco is not a theme we have added to a product; it is where the brand begins. I understand the memories, rituals and emotions behind the flavours we work with, but I also understand the international luxury customer. Being able to bridge those two worlds without compromising either is probably Raphia’s greatest strength.

What is the secret to making the business work?

Consistency and emotion. Luxury cannot simply look beautiful, the product has to be exceptional every single time. But I also think people increasingly want to feel something when they buy from a brand. Whether somebody receives a Raphia box for a birthday, Ramadan, Christmas or as a corporate gift, I want opening it to feel like an experience rather than simply receiving confectionery.

How do you market the company?

Storytelling is incredibly important to us because there is so much depth behind the brand. We use digital and social media, PR, collaborations, gifting and seasonal collections, but word of mouth has also been incredibly powerful. Ultimately, the strongest marketing happens when somebody receives a Raphia gift, remembers the experience and wants to share it with somebody else.

Tell us about the business model

We operate across several complementary areas. There is our direct-to-consumer business, alongside corporate gifting, bespoke private commissions, seasonal collections and collaborations. That allows us to serve somebody buying a single beautiful gift while also creating much larger-scale pieces or collections for companies, hotels, events and celebrations. It also means we are not reliant on one particular gifting moment or customer.

What were you doing before?

My background is in hospitality. I studied Hospitality Management at École Hôtelière de Genève, and being in Switzerland also exposed me to an extraordinary culture of chocolate, confectionery and precision. It was hugely influential because it gave me the technical and commercial understanding of hospitality while making me appreciate even more strongly what was unique about my Moroccan upbringing. Raphia ultimately brought those two worlds together.

What is the future vision?

I want Raphia to become an internationally recognised luxury house and a global ambassador for contemporary Moroccan gastronomy and craftsmanship. There is enormous scope to grow through international retail, luxury hospitality collaborations, bespoke gifting and experiences, while continuing to introduce people to ingredients, artisans and traditions they may never have encountered before.

The ambition is much bigger than confectionery. I want Raphia to build a world around Moroccan hospitality — one that honours where we come from while showing how modern, sophisticated and globally relevant Moroccan culture can be.