Former Bankers Pioneer Food Waste Solution in Dubai
British brothers Hasan and Omair Sarwar, aged 25 and 24, have transitioned from careers in investment banking to launch Peekabox, a food-tech startup aimed at reducing food waste in the UAE. The app, which quickly climbed to the top of the App Store's food category, allows users to purchase surplus food from various outlets at a significant discount, preventing it from being discarded.
Having grown up in Dubai, the brothers observed a prevalent issue: perfectly good food being thrown away by cafes, bakeries, and supermarkets at the end of each day. This observation, coupled with a desire to engage in more impactful work, sparked the idea for Peekabox. Hasan noted the common sight of full shelves in food establishments even as closing time approached, highlighting the scale of the problem.
How Peekabox Connects Consumers with Surplus Food
Peekabox operates on a simple yet effective premise: food businesses offer 'surprise boxes' containing unsold, but still edible, items at a 50-70% discount. Users download the app, browse listings from participating restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores, and reserve a box. While the exact contents are a surprise, the listings provide an idea of what to expect. Once paid for, the boxes are collected during a specified window. This model creates a 'win-win' scenario, as Hasan explains: businesses generate revenue from products they would otherwise discard, customers access affordable food, and overall food waste is reduced.
Overcoming Initial Challenges and Building a Network
The journey to launching Peekabox was not without its hurdles. The brothers dedicated over a year to groundwork, meticulously convincing restaurant groups, cafes, and grocery chains to join a platform that was still in development. Omair described the difficulty of securing partnerships and investor interest for an unlaunched product. Their strategy involved various outreach methods, with cold calling proving to be the most effective way to engage potential partners directly.
Their persistent efforts paid off. By launch, Peekabox had secured agreements with nearly 1,000 stores, with an initial rollout covering approximately 250 locations across the UAE. Despite its rapid expansion and popularity, the company maintains a lean team of fewer than ten individuals.
Brotherly Collaboration and Dubai's Startup Ecosystem
For Hasan and Omair, starting a business together was a natural progression given their shared educational and professional backgrounds. Hasan focuses on operations and technology, while Omair manages partnerships, growth, and expansion, a division of labor they find complementary. They credit Dubai's robust startup ecosystem, particularly the support from the DIFC Innovation Hub, as a significant advantage. Hasan highlighted the invaluable assistance from high-level individuals willing to mentor and open doors for young founders in the city, an uncommon level of support in many other places.
Alignment with National Sustainability Goals
Peekabox's success aligns with the UAE's broader national strategy to combat food waste. The nation is committed to halving food loss and waste by 2030, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals. Initiatives like Ne'ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, and the UAE Food Bank are actively working to address this issue across various stages of the food supply chain. Peekabox contributes to this collective effort by tackling waste at the consumer-facing end.
Looking ahead, the founders are focused on scaling their operations to meet high demand, continuously refining the customer experience, and expanding their network of partner brands. They aim to ensure the app remains financially viable while making a meaningful environmental impact.
Source: Original Article