Profile
- Names:
Khaireddine Hadj Kacem & Mohamed Salah Medde
- Professional backgrounds:
Bachelor’s in Data Science & Master’s in Industrial Engineering
- Business Idea:
Production of handmade accessories, food products, and homeware from palm leaves and dates.
- Company name:
Leaf&Coast
- Business Site:
Tunisia
In the south of Tunisia lies Gabès – a city known for its a rare landscape where the desert meets the sea. This oasis allows for a wide range of plants to grow. One of them is the date palm tree which provides a living to its inhabitants. But climate change and industrial pollution are putting this traditional way of life under pressure.
In 2019, Khaireddine Hadj Kacem moved to Germany to further their studies. Having grown up in Tunisia, he was exposed to the numerous ways and the extent to which the palm tree is used in the day to day lives of Tunisians. “I realised that every household uses the same shopping baskets made from palm leaves,” he remarks. A stroll down the market area in modern town reveals in different creative designs how beloved these baskets are.
During a visit to Tunisia in 2023, Khaireddine and Mohamed Salah Meddeb were inspired to start their own business using this very date palm tree. Together they conducted market research in the country with a focus on Gabès – their homeland. “Through our close collaboration with artisan craftswomen and farmers, we recognised the importance of developing sustainable solutions that create economic opportunities and preserve cultural heritage,” says Mohammed, an engineer, who has also been living in Germany for about six years.
The research showed that an estimated 90 per cent of the dates grown in Gabès are not consumed. In some cases, they are discarded without harvesting. This is due to the popularity of other types of dates. With this start-up, the co-founders want to use the entire date palm tree and transform it into different products for sale. This includes processing the dates into energy bars, date syrup or cosmetics. Other parts of the tree will be used to produce household products such as lamps, carpets, furniture, cushions, and artisanal items. The business plans to work together with local artists so that they can also benefit from this local resource by receiving fair pay for their work.
We may not be able to change everything, but even a small change matters!Khaireddine Hadj Kacem
Further information on the offers available to the Tunisian diaspora can be found below.