Volume: 21 Issue: 47 Winter 2023 Special Issue on Syriac Americans

Thumb Bread is sold in seven different States about 100 locations,such Shoprite, 7 Elevens, and Fairway.

Füsun, Gonca and Arzu Esendemir sisters started the Flatbread Grill® concept back in 2007 when their father was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. They grew up in poverty, so the family never had health insurance. The father immigrated to American in 1975 in pursuit of a better education and to follow his own dream of entrepreneurship. The restaurant concept was started after Füsun was laid off from her corporate job so they could take care of her parents.

Gonca, Füsun, Arzu Esendemir

Their father was a soccer player as a goalkeeper in Türkiye. He went to İstanbul University, went back to Adana, and married. He decided to come to the U.S. to pursue more education. He left in 1975. He did not know his wife was pregnant with Füsun. Father Mehmet Esendemir came to Washington, DC and played soccer there. When he went to play a soccer match against New Jersey team the coach of that team saw and recruited him to play for them. Turkish community in Paterson helped him find a job and getting sponsorship. Soccer had really helped him to pursue American dream.

Gonca, Arzu, Füsun Esendemir

They are looking to fully automate so they can do 20-25 thousand pieces an hour to get cover the US. They aim to be sold at every major regional grocery store by summer 2023. Currently they have 4,500 square feet (about the area of a basketball court) manufacturing facility and they need a minimum of 8,000 sq feet. ‘’So, we need to raise about 2.5 million dollars,” Arzu says. She adds, “If they were Turkish investors would be great. We share the same culture and background.”

Arzu Esendemir