Our History - Near East Frequently Asked Questions
What is the history behind the Near East® brand?
NEAR EAST® started in 1963 in Worcester, MA as a small, family-owned company. George and Hannah Kalajian emigrated from Armenia to the United States and set up a grocery store in 1940. Soon after the store opened, Hannah began serving sandwiches and home-cooked hot meals at a twelve-stool luncheonette counter adjoining the grocery store. On Wednesdays, Hannah served her specialty: roasted chicken and Armenian-style rice pilaf. A tasty combination of rice, orzo pasta, and seasoning, the pilaf quickly became so popular that Hannah began to package it - filling bags of pilaf mix by hand in her home kitchen. As demand rapidly increased, more help was added and a growing number of food distributors helped to sell the product. Over the years, production moved out of Hannah's kitchen and into modern manufacturing facilities.
Today, the NEAR EAST® family of products includes more than 30 different flavors and varieties of pilafs, couscous, and other grain dishes, all with the same high-quality ingredients, care and handling that Hannah put into the first pilaf. Our products offer you great taste and authentic flavors with easy and convenient preparation. NEAR EAST® uses only the best ingredients; 100% natural with no artificial ingredients, preservatives or flavors. Most NEAR EAST® products are certified Kosher. Our refreshing white box is a symbol of our dedication to simple, high-quality food. Our delicious products are available nationally in supermarkets and specialty food stores.
We hope that you enjoy our products. Please e-mail us with your comments or questions. We'd like to hear from you!
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