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Atayeb Lebnen For Organic Food

What happens when two foodies with an interest in the outdoors take it to the next level? For entrepreneurs Celine Chami and Marwan Ammoun, growing their own vegetables and enjoying homemade goods soon gave them the idea for their newest startup. In 2012, both Chami and Ammoun left their senior-level corporate positions in favor of starting their own businesses, and thus far they’ve managed to successfully get three separate startups off of the ground. Their first two businesses contributed to the launch of Atayeb Lebnen (AL): Emagine sarl, a boutique concept creation agency, and Pinea Campus, an outdoor campsite with amenities. Their time at Pinea Campus helped them “realize how important it was to eat quality food with no additives or chemicals. We wanted to create a more sustainable business out of this, so we thought of developing Atayeb Lebnen highlighting products that have been produced traditionally and naturally.” Their corporate endeavour, Emagine sarl, helped them brand, market and execute the business side of AL. Chami and Ammoun then began sourcing high quality goods like extra virgin olive oil, thyme, sumac, pine nuts,honey and arak- products that boasted a long shelf-life, and that could be easily packaged, shipped, and accurately presented online. “The concept then evolved to tell the stories of the far away forgotten villages, where people still produce their own honey, jam, and thyme,” explains Chami. Eventually, “the aim of the website is to become a platform for these communities and villages to be able to sell their products and also for people to easily find and purchase such products,” she adds. In the works for six months, Ammoun says that the name “Atayeb is a commonly used word in Lebanon, describing the good food that comes from the land. Lebnen is Lebanon in spoken Lebanese.” Atayeb’s next goal is to expand to offer a wider range of locally produced products like jams, syrups, and molasses, and they are hoping to develop a corporate clientele with branded basket options for companies who wish to support local industries with their gifting budgets.

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