Meet Engy Fahmy, owner of Beyti Rose Petal Jams

“It’s about that first taste. Of anything. It’s about introducing something new. In life, there are the big things and the little things. The little things are first taste moments, where we slow down and enjoy the moments. Little things become bigger things sometimes, but it’s about remembering the little things.”

It’s no surprise that this comes from Engy Fahmy, owner of Beyti Rose Petal Jams. She started by preserving the little things–rose petals from one of her first additions to her rose garden. She didn’t want the feeling of that first fragrance to be lost.

“It started with one rose. Mister Lincoln. When I smelled that rose, it overwhelmed me. I didn’t want that feeling to go away, so I started to research how I could preserve it and share it with others.”

A Discovered Legacy

A former librarian, Engy is passionate about reading and research. As she was immersing herself into rose gardening, she learned about rose jams, something she’d never tried before. Later learned it is rooted in Egyptian and Persian culinary culture.

“I told my dad what I was working on, and he was in tears. He then told me about how his mother used to make rose jams when he was young, and how the scent of roses still brought those memories back.”

Engy smiles at the fate that brought her to exploring rose jams, following in her grandmother’s legacy as if roses were in her genes. “I had no idea that I was continuing a tradition that I didn’t even know about!”

Preserving the ephemeral is one of the themes of her business. This can be seen in the care she takes with her roses, from tending the garden to the kitchen, where she delicately prepares each petal with love and care, preserving them for others to enjoy in her jams and baked treats.

From a Rose Garden to a Business

Engy thinks of herself as a gardener first. It was the encouragement from her family and neighbors that guided her to bring Beyti to a larger audience. Engy started sharing her homemade jams with her neighbors and friends, and they inspired her to transform her special products into a business. She honors the business’s homemade beginnings with her brand:

“The name Beyti, in Arabic it means homemade, but it also means my home.”

Engy’s 21 Acres and Business Impact NW Community

She credits 21 Acres and Business Impact NW by expanding her idea of home:

“21 Acres is home for me. Sometimes I just go into the kitchen to be among my 21 Acres family.”

Building community is a major part of why she does this work, and community brings her the inspiration to create and grow her business.

One day, Engy made a cake for her kitchen family, and they encouraged her to add miniature Rose Date Cakes topped with a rose butterscotch sauce to her offerings.

Engy has been working with Business Impact NW for about a year. She worked closely with Devra Gartenstein, Farm Business Support Specialist, and Janel Nonhoff, Incubator Kitchen Manager. They helped guide her through the essential steps of developing her brand, navigating market entry, and scaling her operations.

“Devra, Janel, and everyone have been so important to my business. I’m doing things I never thought I’d be able to do: finance, packaging, branding.”

Janel shares, “Engy asks thoughtful questions and makes the most of her time with her business advisors. She puts in the work regarding licensing, permitting, recipe development, creating her brand and website, building relationships, meeting market managers, and so much more.”

The Importance of Family

Engy’s family helps too: her daughter, son and husband all help at markets. Her son sends her meaningful books and her daughter designed her logo, incorporating her business name in Arabic within the graceful spiral of the rose.

Her roses are part of her family too. She proudly shows off photos of some of them, with delightful names like Mister Lincoln, Rock & Roll, Julia Child, Peach Swirl, and Summer Romance. Each of her jams combines several varieties, grouped by color and flavor notes. For example, Beyti’s Desert Rose Jam has flavor notes of a juicy summer peach and honey syrup, and includes Jump for Joy, Singing in the Rain, Heavenly Scented and Peach Swirl varieties.

“I’m very impressed with her culinary instincts, Janel shares. She puts a lot of care into the flavor, texture, and color of each item. She’s not just looking to sell products, she’s creating an experience. She listens to customers and adapts her products based on the valuable information she learned from sampling at markets. She also keeps things interesting with seasonal twists, like using fresh lavender in her jams during the summer or adding yams to her date cakes in the fall.”

Where to find Beyti

Beyti offers individual jars of jam in 3oz and 6oz, as well as a gift sampler set. She also offers individually packaged miniature rose-shaped cakes. Products can be found on her website, through Local Yokels, the 21 Acres Market, or at Shoreline, Woodinville, and Kirkland Farmers’ Markets. Follow Beyti on Instagram to keep up with their market schedule and for announcements.

What’s next for Beyti?

Engy is working to spread the word about the delicate and delicious world of rose petal jams and sauces. She encourages people to try a taste. Her next goals include adding staff so she can be present at more markets and share her vision of nature, community, and rose petal jam.

 

Are you ready to start or grow your food or farm business? Business Impact NW is here to help. Reach out today!