Avasana Afghan Street Food

Marketing, Branding, Business, Social Media

Featured on:

Studio 10, Destination NSW, Cumberland City Council

Avasana was an Afghan street food restaurant in the heart of Western Sydney. It started as a family passion project that brought the rich flavours of Afghanistan's bazaars to the streets of Sydney. The restaurant grew rapidly thanks to savvy social media marketing.

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I was in charge of the marketing, branding, and design of the restaurant. The restaurant was located in Merrylands, which has a beautifully diverse demographic and is home to the largest Afghan community in Sydney. This meant we had many competitors that also served Afghan cuisine. However, our brand strategy highlighted our key differentiator: the fusion of Afghan culture with the Sydney lifestyle.

We served our food fast, and focused on takeaway and delivery to cater to busy lifestyles while still maintaining quality, flavour and homemade vibes. Our restaurant truly brought something new and fresh that Australia had never experienced. This attracted Studio 10 to do a segment about us, got featured on Destination NSW, collaborated with Steve Christou (former Mayor of Cumberland City Council) to share our food with the community for charity, and had countless food bloggers and food tour groups enjoy what we had to offer.

We invested in our interior design which was inspired by the magnificent ancient turquoise mosques and rustic street markets found in Afghanistan. This really helped the restaurant feel inviting and not only attract customers, but also inspire them to take photos and post on social media.

Our social media strategy focused on reposting user generated content, including feed posts, stories, and reviews. This encouraged more people to post for an opportunity to be featured on our page. We also recorded live reviews from customers at the restaurant to kindle a sense of community and family spirit. We ensured that every customer felt welcomed as though they were a guest at our home, allowing them to experience the famous Afghan hospitality and generosity.

We had an incredibly rapid growth journey but it unfortunately came to an end due to strict COVID lockdown laws. As the business was new, we were unable to keep up with costs of staying closed for months while still having to pay lease. We eventually sold the restaurant, grateful for the growth and lessons gained, and humbled by the love and unexpected amount of popularity we achieved from sharing our culture with the city.