Hailing from entrepreneurial families, Hanadi and Jamaal always dreamed of owning their own business. Jamaal's mother, a master at baking Mediterranean treats, graciously shared her secret family recipes with the two, and the couple got to work in the kitchen. While brainstorming names for their new venture, they combined their last names, Asad and Ali, to form "Asali." They quickly discovered that Asali is also the word for "sweets" and "honey" in both Arabic and Persian - a happy coincidence! Seeing an opportunity to seize their dream, Asali Desserts was founded in 2001.Since then, Asali has expanded to include specialty cakes and event services, as well as a brick-and-mortar cafe in Cary's MacGregor Village.
