By Reinventing Dates As Gourmet Treats, Kimri Founder Sara Saleh Is Aiming To Bridge Cultures With Her F&B Brand According to Saleh, Kimri is a representation of how cultures can be bridged through food, which is something she has personally experienced being the daughter of an Arab father and a European mother.
You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
Founded by Sara Saleh, Kimri is an F&B brand that takes dates (arguably the Middle East's favorite fruit) and reinvents them as delectable gourmet treats with the addition of chocolate, nuts, and other ingredients.
According to Saleh, Kimri is a representation of how cultures can be bridged through food, which is something she has personally experienced being the daughter of an Arab father and a European mother. As such, enticing flavor combinations are what make Kimri particularly appealing as a brand- for instance, one of its bestsellers pairs dates with raspberry and white chocolate.
"Kimri is the name given to dates when they are in the 17th week of their lifecycle," Saleh says. "They are green in appearance, which is what inspires the brand's signature color. As a foundation for the brand, the name Kimri reflects our young attitudes and our ever-evolving approach to creating new and innovative products. Based on these pillars, Kimri will be continually reinventing flavors and bridging cultures, whilst developing into a brand that is readily available for all consumers across the globe."
Image courtesy: Kimri
As a venture that was a part of an incubator program run by Spinneys (one of the Middle East's leading supermarket chains) for micro-F&B businesses in the UAE, Kimri can today be found stocked on supermarket shelves around the country. The brand has thus come a long way from when Saleh thought it up about two years ago, but the entrepreneur is clear that she has only just started her journey with Kimri.
And as for why she's expecting big things ahead for her brand, Saleh's reasoning is simple, but straightforward: "There is nothing like Kimri out there!"
Sara Saleh, founder, Kimri. Image courtesy: Kimri
'TREP TALK: Kimri founder Sara Saleh on how to spark a great idea
1. Figure out your why "It's important to look inwards, and ask yourself what brings you happiness in life. This will help you establish how you would like to live your life, what values are important for you, and in what direction you'd like to dedicate your efforts towards."
2. Find an untapped opportunity "Another key aspect to sparking "a great idea' involves mapping out the market, and then finding a gap in it. This is of great importance, as you will then be creating a product/ service that will fulfil a particular consumer need."
3. Try, try, and try again "It takes a lot of dedication and persistence to be able to spark and build on a good idea. But always remember if one idea does not work out, there are infinite ones to be thought of still."
