When brainstorming names for her new Michigan-made hummus, Hannah Awada noted that a lot of hummus companies list the product last in their names. She wanted to make sure customers know that Hummus Goodness puts hummus first.

“Goodness starts with your ingredients – we’re the hummus you expect to find in a Lebanese restaurant – the hummus your grandmother might make for you – the hummus that you want to feed your family.”

Hannah’s hummus journey began while living in Shanghai, China with her husband, Hadi, and their three kids. Hannah and Hadi met while living in Toledo, and his work in the automotive industry has led the family to travel quite a bit – anywhere from London to Germany to China.

While living in Shanghai and working as a food blogger, Hannah noticed a lack of a favorite snack on store shelves – hummus. She decided to make her own, bringing it to a party where friends were absolutely floored. They urged her to start Hummus House in 2017 and begin distribution of fresh hummus with a delicious twist. Hannah jokes that she had a recipe for every ingredient in their cupboard, with flavors like Kale-Basil Pesto, Olive Tapenade, and an addictive Chocolate Coconut Hummus.

With a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Eastern Michigan University and a master’s in History from the University of Toledo, her career has taken some exciting twists and turns. Hannah credits her entrepreneurial gene as a pivotal part of guiding her along this journey, with a family full of small business owners – including her brother Ziad Burkett, founder of Midwest Juicery – another awesome local Michigan-made product!

Hummus Is Where the Heart Is

In the summer of 2018, the Awada family was getting ready to make another move – this time back to the United States. When considering the relocation, Birmingham, MI stood out, as Hannah’s grandfather had spent time there immediately after immigrating to the United States. The opportunity to live in that same city and pay tribute to his journey made this the perfect location for their family to put down roots.

Hannah also returned with zero intention of continuing hummus production. After all, you can find hummus on the shelves of just about any grocery store in the United States. But hummus of the quality Hannah was producing? After bringing her homemade hummus creations to several parties and getting overwhelmingly positive feedback, she was inspired to get back in the game.

Hummus Goodness had humble beginnings, using a rental kitchen space at St. James Church in Birmingham. When they outgrew that space, they moved into another facility where they mix and manufacture each recipe before sending it to their trusted packaging partner.

Spreading the Goodness

What sets Hummus Goodness apart as Michigan’s clean hummus brand? Beyond incredible flavor profiles where each ingredient used is responsibly sourced. Chickpeas from a certified organic pesticide-free farm in Washington are pureed with fresh lemon juice and garlic, pure olive oil, and Michigan-made tahini.

These fresh ingredients make up the Classic Hummus, and serve as the base to which other bold flavors are added for other exciting varieties:

· Balsamic Hummus – A savory favorite with in-house roasted garlic & balsamic glazed red onions.

· Beet Hummus – Made with freshly roasted Michigan beets sourced from Eastern Market and topped with agave.

· Taco Hummus – Topped with taco seasoning and fresh lime juice – add some cotija cheese and go to town!

· Spicy Hummus – Nicknamed “the Raging Bull”, this combination of sriracha and lime juice is sure to make you sweat.

Flavors That Are Uniquely “You”

The influence of Hannah’s time as a food blogger is evident on the Hummus Goodness site, where you’ll find photos and unique recipes crafted by the founder to inspire and satisfy all your cravings. The inherent simplicity of hummus makes it an incredibly versatile ingredient that can add flavor to make any dish “uniquely you!”

While you’re surely familiar with avocado toast, try mixing up your morning routine by spreading some Spicy Hummus on sourdough bread with a poached or fried egg on top. Inspired by her favorite Shanghai Restaurant, The Commune Social, Hannah spreads vibrant Beet Hummus on crackers or sourdough bread and tops with goat cheese, honey, and pistachios for a decadent treat. Tired of refried beans as a meatless substitute in tacos and nachos? Change it up by using Taco Hummus as your protein!

With so many great options to serve as a “delivery system” from container to mouth, we had to ask Hannah what salty snacks she recommends for an added crunch.

· Mano’s Pita Strips – This Metro Detroit brand has been serving traditional Middle Eastern family recipes for generations – and these pita strips pair perfectly with Balsamic or Beet Hummus!

· 313 Urban Tortilla Chips – Another metro Detroit woman-owned brand, Hannah suggests dipping these in her Taco Hummus.

· Pop Daddy Pretzels – Michigan-made bold seasoned pretzels ready to blow you away – just add some Spicy Hummus.

Woman-Owned & Michigan-Made

In 2021, only 2% of venture capital in the United States was secured by female founders, a sign that the struggle to diversify this male dominated industry is real. As a successful small business owner, Hannah has some advice for other women looking to begin their entrepreneurial journey.

Taking the time to get Hummus Goodness certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council was integral as this certification opened so many doors to opportunities. Maintaining confidence and believing in your product and yourself are other key ingredients to stay the course and move forward.

Spreading the goodness is definitely not a one-person job. Hannah credits Lara Lozser, her partner since the business’ inception, as well as their amazing managers and employees for putting in the effort and love that makes this truly top-notch hummus.

Above all, Hannah highlights the importance of surrounding yourself with people who know what they’re talking about. Assuming you know everything can be your downfall – never be afraid to ask questions! Hannah found an amazing mentor through Michigan State University’s Product Center, who has continued to guide her along the way.

To Woodward Corner Market & Beyond

In fact, it was Hannah’s mentor Becky DeYoung who told her about the opening of a new market-format Meijer store opening in Royal Oak, just a few miles away from her production facility. While she wasn’t quite ready to debut at their opening, after several months spent redesigning packaging and testing out retail distribution, Hannah reached out to Natalie Rubino, Store Director for Woodward Corner Market. With Natalie’s support and guidance, Hummus Goodness hit shelves there in 2020, and in May 2022 they debuted in all Meijer Supercenters.

“The whole local market-format team has been instrumental in getting us into the Meijer Centers – Hummus Goodness is in over 230 retail locations thanks to Meijer.”

— Hannah Awada

Hummus Domination

Hummus Goodness still makes appearances at events at Detroit’s Eastern Market several times a year, and you can often find Hannah doing in-store demos at Woodward Corner Market, Capital City Market, and Bridge Street Market.

The pandemic provided new opportunities and exciting growth for the business, with Michiganders placing more emphasis than ever on buying local and supporting small businesses. Hannah and her team spent this time giving back to the community by donating hummus and pita chip snack packs to local hospitals and the Birmingham police station. They have worked with Michigan Works! Association to teach students about logistics, warehousing, and other skills they can continue nourishing while building resumes. Hummus Goodness was also celebrated as the 2021 Start Up to Watch Award at MSU Product Center’s Making it in Michigan conference.

So what does the future hold for Hummus Goodness? Hannah jokes, “Hummus Domination!”

Hannah and Lara plan to continue spreading the goodness throughout Michigan and the Midwest, with added partnerships and local collaborations. As the business continues to grow, we can look forward to exciting new flavors, along with the introduction of a new snack pack for convenient hummus munching on the go!

Meet Hummus Goodness