Napa Valley entrepreneur brings her Mediterranean heritage to the table with ‘Datehini’ spread | Business

Mom, endurance athlete, and hospitality skilled turned meals entrepreneur, Sezin Kutlu stated was impressed to launch her new enterprise, Sepoli, whereas driving her bike by way of the luxurious vineyards of Napa Valley and recalling the candy and savory grape molasses she loved for breakfast every morning as a toddler rising up in Turkey.

Her introductory product, Datehini, was then formulated as an answer to her private endurance athletic coaching objectives, and as a solution to introduce her younger daughter to tasty, but nutritious choices to chocolate and different sugary spreads and snacks, stated Kutlu.

Identified amongst her household and associates as a meals “mixologist,” Kutlu took her culinary expertise to the subsequent stage, creating her signature mixture of natural dates and tahini, stated a information launch from the corporate.

Datehini launched in October 2021, and has since turn into a fast-growing nationwide model, “loved by busy professionals, mother and father, and athletes searching for fast, easy, and scrumptious methods to incorporate the numerous dietary advantages of dates and tahini of their diets,” stated the discharge.

As soon as impressed to launch Sepoli, Kutlu started by looking the cabinets of many regional shops to seek out elements, however couldn’t discover something just like the pure grape molasses that her mom made when she was a toddler.

She then sourced elements, particularly natural medjool dates from Coachella Valley and natural sesame tahini from Ethiopia, and commenced what ended up being eight months of analysis and growth “till she achieved the right mix of dates and tahini to create a scrumptious candy and savory unfold.”

“My style testers have been my American born and raised associates who had by no means heard of this mix,” stated Kutlu. “Many of those associates are notable cooks and well-travelled foodies, so to get the thumbs up from them was an enormous win. In the end, my aim is to affect wholesome consuming by introducing a conventional meals from my tradition.”

Eager to additionally create a product that may be pleasing to the tastebuds of younger kids, Kutlu’s six-year-old daughter, Alisa, performed a big function within the analysis and growth section.

“My daughter is a really choosy eater, as are most younger kids, and I used to be involved about her rising need for sugary spreads and different snacks,” stated Kutlu. “Being a busy working mother, I wished to create a product that’s fast and straightforward to make use of. Alisa was certainly one of my hardest tasting gurus and when she gave it her approval, that’s once I went to market. Now as I develop new flavors, corresponding to vanilla and cinnamon, she continues to be part of the R and D course of.”

Kutlu famous that her largest enterprise problem so far has been the lack of awareness within the U.S. about tahini, corresponding to what it’s product of and its many well being advantages.

Datehini’s mixture of tahini and dates is wealthy in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium and different antioxidants. It’s additionally protected for these with nut allergic reactions and has been rapidly acknowledged by athletes as a superb supply of vitality, in accordance with the corporate.

As a result of the unfold is exclusive to client palates in the USA, Kutlu has centered a lot of the corporate’s advertising initiatives on recipe growth and training across the many well being advantages of dates and tahini.

“It’s a fast, no-fuss manner so as to add a wholesome, candy and savory ingredient to virtually something you eat,” defined Kutlu.

“A few of my prime suggestions for incorporating Datehini into your food plan, embody as a diffusion on toast, crepes or pancakes; as a topping for sandwiches and as a alternative for peanut butter and jelly; as a pure sugar-free sweetener for oatmeal, smoothies, sauces and dressings; as a dip for vegatables and fruits and an accompaniment to cheese boards; and as an ingredient in baked desserts.”

Datehini is bought in 12-ounce jars for $13.50. This month, the model will launch 8-ounce jars for $9.50.

The corporate is at the moment centered on growing further Datehini flavors and recipes. Because it continues to develop, the Sepoli model will keep its give attention to creating natural, wholesome, and Mediterranean-influenced meals merchandise.

Kutlu can be devoted to giving again and has a robust dedication to supporting nonprofit organizations that assist these affected by starvation and meals insecurity. Sepoli has a devoted product donation initiative for qualifying organizations.

Domestically, you will discover Datehini at connoisseur and specialty shops all through Napa, together with Browns Valley Market, Contimo Provisions and Jeffries Genera, and as of Could 21, on the Napa Farmers Market. The model can be accessible on Amazon and at sepoli.com.