food waste is a global problem with disastrous effects on the economy, the environment and public health.
1.3 billion tons of food is thrown away every year worldwide, worth approximately 1 trillion $ , when on the other hand one in three people in the world do not have access to sufficient food to lead a healthy life – an increase of 320 million people from 2020 to 2021 according to the united nations.
Food waste occurs at all level of the food supply chain. Retailers generate 10.5M tons of surplus food, most of which goes to landfill or is incinerated as waste. Food waste that ends up in landfills produces a large amount of methane – a more powerful greenhouse gas than even CO2. Excess amounts of greenhouse gases such as methane and CO2 absorb infrared radiation and heat up the earth’s atmosphere, causing global warming and climate change. Furthermore, When we throw away food, we also throw away the precious resources that went into producing it like land, water and energy.
This is where Rana Hamdan, Founder of Zakey, comes in. She is determined to change the status quo and introduce a new solution to the food industry in Qatar with her company.
Meet The Visionary And Passionate Leader
Rana Hamdan heads Zakey as its Founder. The company is an anti-waste food delivery app that will help the surplus food of the retailers to be sold to customers in the Qatari Market.
She firmly believes that each of us was placed on this planet to make it a better place, and it is our collective responsibility to do what we can to make it happen. One of the most concerning issues that our society is facing right now is the unfortunate reality of food waste that is seen worldwide. And it is a global environmental and humanitarian issue that cannot be ignored.
Upon recognizing the issue of food waste, Rana took the initiative to launch Zakey, a project with the mission of reducing food waste and providing assistance to those in need in her local community.
Today, as the Founder, she aimed to utilize her skills and resources to boost the company’s success and ensure its financial security and operational effectiveness.
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It felt like now is the time to start focusing on me and find something to reignite my passion.
Qatar’s First Anti-Waste App
Zakey owns and operates an e-commerce website. It is Qatar’s first anti-waste app connecting customers to the vendors unsold surplus, whether it’s overstock aging stock or nearly to expire products. The company’s goal is to motivate vendors in Qatar and the MENA region to offer near-expired products, overstock, aging stock, and surplus at a lower price, allowing families and individuals to benefit from them rather than filling landfills. In order to take a proactive step towards zero waste, Zakey is trying to bring together professionals from the retail, food, pharmacy, and cosmetics industries with the help of governmental organizations and consumers.
Helps Employees Remain Focused On The Organization’s Goal
Teamwork is important for organizations, especially in today’s highly digital world. According to studies, businesses that value collaboration innovates more quickly, recognize errors more quickly, come up with better solutions to issues, and are more productive. According to Rana, maintaining a startup team together takes a lot of work, but it’s also incredibly exciting since it presents special opportunities and experiences that well-established organizations just cannot match. Working for a startup can be exhilarating, but there is a drawback because no one can tell what the future holds.
The passionate leader believes that these tips keep startup teams motivated, which she follows and practices at Zakey.
- Regular meetings with team members
- Have lunch as a team.
- Keeping my staff informed about business updates.
- Be there with them on the Frontlines.
Standing Out From The Crowd
The visionary leader, Rana believes that Zakey will operate on an Online to Offline (O2O) model, which means it will connect with local retailers and procure goods from the nearest store in the customer’s area and deliver it to its customers. The company intends to sign up hundreds of f&b distributors as well as thousands of small to medium-sized businesses as sellers. It is a modest business with the significant purpose to reduce food waste. Rana states that Zakey, the cause-driven app, is targeting to become the country’s largest discount marketplace over the next five years.
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Less Food Waste, Less Pollution!
Foresee Opportunities
People are becoming more and more conscious of how food waste impacts the environment. Food waste is responsible for around 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Rana believes that customers will begin placing a higher priority on things that are almost about to expire and refrain from overspending and overbuying. Social responsibility is growing, thankfully.
Inflation and the high cost of living are also making it more difficult for families and individuals to fulfill their monthly budgets, which will cause them to turn more frequently to discounted products and meals.
Key Milestones
Milestones aren’t some random stretch goals that you’re unlikely to reach. This could involve something simple like acquiring your first client in a novel industry or something complex like launching a new product prototype. Business milestones generally serve as both a gauge of progress, and Rana has set some key milestones for the year 2023.
- Improving the brand “Zakey”. Making Zakey stand out when compared to everybody else and making a good impression in the customer’s mind and journey.
- Building a community of eco-friendly and environmentally responsible vendors and counsumers.
- The next five years plan is expansion into new markets or countries.
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Wasted food isn’t just a social or humanitarian concern, it’s an environmental one.
Pearls of Wisdom
As a successful businesswoman and visionary leader, Rana gives pearls of wisdom, “Zakey is more than just software or a product—it’s an anti-waste platform. This ecosystem is more than just a shopping platform. It is a way to connect retailers and customers in the shared pursuit of making the world better by reducing food wastage. It doesn’t matter if you’re a trailblazing start-up or an established brand reaching global audiences. Zakey works for you.” She further adds, “ Let us all unite today vendors and consumers in the fight against wastage and take an active step towards zero food waste.”
