Hi! I’m Noor, and I was the Team Lead of Fostoq.
I first came across the Pop-Up Shop leaflet while walking along the Parade on campus. Enterprise Bath were offering students the opportunity to run a business in the beautiful city of Bath, with £500 to bring an idea to life. I knew I had to apply.
I quickly brought together a team, and we began brainstorming. Our group was wonderfully diverse, made up of students from Asia, Africa and the Levant. What united us was a shared desire to bring a piece of home to Bath. After many ideation sessions (and a lot of excitement), we decided to launch Fostoq (Arabic for pistachio).
Our products
We wanted to introduce something special: Buzah, a beloved Syrian ice cream known for its unique stretchy texture, made from milk, cream, sugar, sahlab (a powdered orchid tuber) and mastic (a pine-scented tree resin), which gives it its distinctive chewiness and flavour. Buzah is served with crushed pistachios; a common component in Arabic desserts. We also sold traditional mint lemonade and Ghazl Banat, a delicate sugary threads similar to cotton candy.
Our team included undergraduate, Master’s and PhD students, so free time was scarce. Despite this, we consistently carved out time to plan. It wasn’t always easy balancing coursework, research and logistics, but our shared commitment kept us going.
The selling day
By coincidence, our selling day fell on the Islamic holiday of Eid. We embraced this fully, designing Eid-themed packaging and encouraging the Muslim community in Bath to come and celebrate with us. We also made sure the shop itself reflected Syrian culture, from the music playing in the background to the decorations around the space.
When the big day arrived, it couldn’t have been more joyful. Customers streamed in, children beamed as they held their Ghazl Banat, and our team danced between serving scoops of Buzah. Even when small issues came up, we handled them smoothly and efficiently, always with a smile.
At some point, it stopped being “just ice cream.” It became about sharing who we are, every interaction felt personal. That’s what made the experience so special.
Of course, the day wasn’t without its challenges. We made last-minute ice runs to Waitrose, transported a heavy freezer from one of our homes to the shop, and constantly battled against melting ice cream. Toward the end of the day, when we still had stock remaining, we quickly adapted, selling the remaining ice cream rolls directly to interested families. Flexibility became our best skill.
Reflection
We left that evening with tired backs but full hearts. One moment that stayed with us was when a woman returned the next day asking if we had more products available. That simple gesture reminded us that what we created truly resonated.
The Pop-Up Shop experience wasn’t just about running a business. It was about teamwork, adaptability, cultural expression and community. Fostoq allowed us to share a taste of Syria with Bath.
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