As a Lebanese-American who referred to as Southern California residence
for 20 years, entry to something from the motherland half a globe away was
completely sacred. My brothers and I’d squeal with delight at any time when we’d
go to the Center Jap shops in Anaheim and Orange County. Scanning the
aisles, I keep in mind ogling merchandise that had been crafted in Lebanon and
exported to communities the world over dense within the Lebanese diaspora.
One in all my first and fondest recollections is the pistachio
halawa by Al Wadi Al Akhdar. That
round tub with the forest inexperienced lid is ceaselessly seared in my reminiscence. My
dad and mom all the time had two or three stocked within the pantry, alongside bottles of Al
Wadi’s aromatic orange blossom and rose waters that Mother reached for frequently
all year long, whether or not for baking maamoul
(stuffed Lebanese semolina cookies) or concocting lemonade from scratch.
| Al Wadi Al Akhdar’s pistachio halawa is crafted from 100% pure sesame seeds tahini, sugar, and halawa extract. |
In 2007, after I shipped out to Boston for grad faculty, I stumbled
throughout three neighboring outlets in Watertown that imported a collection of
Lebanese merchandise. Al Wadi Al Akhdar figured prominently in that lineup, and as
a scholar strapped for time, I greedily snatched up plenty of their canned
items: hummus
tahina, moutabal
batenjen (extra famously “baba ghannouge”), chickpeas,
and foul
moudammas (or cooked fava beans). Tucking into a kind of cans
transported me throughout the Atlantic and to the easternmost shores of the
Mediterranean the place Lebanon, the land of my forebears, perches. I might style
my heritage and its love of excellent meals in each chunk. After all, I’d polish off
the meal with a heaping spoon or two of pistachio halawa. I even acquired my
Lebanese classmates hooked on halawa straight out of the bathtub, sans bread. To
this present day, it stays an otherworldly deal with for me.
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| A collection of canned Al Wadi Lebanese specialties (L-R: hummus tahina, chickpeas, moutabal batenjen, and foul moudammas). |
Historical past, Founders, and Timeline
And that’s the energy of Al Wadi Al Akhdar, a model that credits its inception in 1979
to co-founders Bechara Obegi and Frank Farage (watch the story here).
Lebanon was on the peak of civil conflict, and meals provides had been scarce. The 2
males launched the corporate with three cornerstone merchandise: hummus tahina, chickpeas,
and foul
moudammas. By 1984, the Dove processing manufacturing facility had commenced manufacturing of
these Center Jap specialties, and the canned greens class got here into
existence. Notably, Al Wadi started to export to France and the US.
By the late Eighties, baba ghannouge was added to the product
repertoire, crafted utilizing the normal roasting technique – and Al Wadi
uniquely lays declare to it whereas different manufacturers have opted for grilling the
eggplant. Tahina, or floor sesame paste, and fruit jams made it to the market
throughout this decade. By 1992, Al Wadi had achieved market chief standing in
Lebanese specialties and was the primary to launch frozen greens in Lebanon.
In 1997, that management would prolong to the class of canned greens.
Impressively between 2005 and 2010, the corporate’s income in
Lebanon alone doubled, which speaks volumes about Al Wadi’s model recognition,
shopper confidence in its merchandise, and all-around excellence in items
produced. Over the previous decade, Al Wadi has continued to plow forward, garnering
accolades for being the primary model to determine a social media presence in
Lebanon and receiving recognition for its web site on the regional Pan-Arab
Awards. The US journal Bon Appetit
stamped its seal of approval on Al Wadi’s tangy pomegranate molasses. To satisfy
the surging demand for product analysis and growth, the corporate
inaugurated a Laboratory of Innovation, which birthed the Al
Wadi organic range.
 |
| Al Wadi’s laboratory of innovation was carved out of the corporate’s want to be a trailblazer in new merchandise. |
At current, Al Wadi merchandise are offered across six
continents in more than 30 countries, together with Australia, Canada, Chile,
England, France, Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Spain,
Sweden, UAE and the US. Within the greater than 4 a long time that the model has
flourished each inside and past Lebanon’s boundaries, its identify has develop into
synonymous with Lebanese delicacies. That experience is fostered by high-quality
uncooked elements coupled with the perfect and latest applied sciences to advertise
stringent security requirements.
 |
| Presently, Al Wadi merchandise are exported to roughly 30 nations throughout six continents. |
Main Product Classes
Greater than 150
products spanning around 15 categories are on the coronary heart of Al Wadi Al
Akhdar. Arguably the 5 hottest classes are
1. Lebanese specialties,
representing genuine mezze dishes like hummus and baba ghannouge
2. Canned
vegetables, packaged instantly after harvest
3. Frozen
vegetables, frozen instantly after harvest to protect dietary
profiles
4. Halawa and
tahina, the previous of which is a candy confection, and the latter of which
is an indispensable ingredient in hummus and baba ghannouge
5. Floral waters
and molasses,
the previous of that are essences distilled from rose and orange blossom
flowers, and the latter of which refers back to the pure sweetener “debs el
remmen”
Al Wadi’s newest and biggest area of interest is the chilled
Lebanese range, encapsulating hummus and baba ghannouge offered in
handy pouches, along with individually portioned hummus paired with
pretzels for dipping. These refrigerated merchandise boast an enviable 12-month
shelf life and are freed from preservatives. Isn’t that mind-blowing? Go away it to
the parents at Al Wadi to pioneer new frontiers!
 |
| Al Wadi’s chilled vary is the most recent to hit retailer cabinets. These Lebanese specialties are perfect for fast snack or meal concepts and are freed from preservatives. |
Closing Remarks
One of the crucial dependable and efficient ambassadors of our
beloved Lebanon has in reality been Al Wadi Al
Akhdar. Give it some thought. Our wealthy Mediterranean delicacies has landed us a spot
on the worldwide meals map, however it’s manufacturers like Al Wadi, with its
deep-seated dedication to high quality, consistency, and authenticity, that convey
these scrumptious specialties straight inside attain, irrespective of which nook of
the globe we discover ourselves nestled in.
For me, and for my household that continues to reside in
California, Al Wadi Al Akhdar recreates the real tastes and flavors of the
Lebanese desk in our residence. After I flashback to these episodes of a fraught
scholar craving for the consolation of the acquainted, or of the younger youngster keen
to embrace her tradition and delicacies from the opposite aspect of the world, I notice Al
Wadi is completely a part of my previous. And it’ll, by that very same token, determine
squarely into my future.
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| The Al Wadi Al Akhdar dream workforce. The corporate stands for group, transparency, and professionalism. |
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