As you may have guessed by the title, we're welcoming Vegepod Qatar to the global family! Vegepod Qatar is spearheaded by Iman, who contacted us after she astutely saw an opportunity for the Grow Your Food movement in Qatar's very hot climate with Vegepods.
Working with two colleagues - engineer, Aya, and procurement manager, Suzan - Iman and her all-female team came together with Vegepod UAE’s all-female team to deliver Vegepod Qatar's first container, despite a trifecta of simultaneous challenges at the time (Covid, Ramadan and all the shipping industry issues). This was a mobilisation and partnership that showed us Vegepod Qatar & Vegepod UAE are forces to be reckoned with!
Here’s a little more on Iman, because she is definitely a phenomenal woman. Credited with introducing new technologies in Qatar that have had social impacts on museums, flooring and waterproofing technologies, she’s a businesswoman at heart with an engineering background. Here’s a mini-interview so you can get to know her better.
Iman, we’re so happy to have you on-board! What made you decide on Vegepod?
“Oh I’m a trailblazer! As a female civil engineer in the Middle East everybody knows me by name alone, I literally don’t need to use biz cards here. Everyone knows I’m always busting down the doors. I’m always looking for new innovations that really break the mould. I like products which have excellent quality and provide a new specialised support to a certain challenge. Growing veg in our very hot country is definitely a challenge and we look forward to using Vegepods to help Qataris succeed.”
It’s fantastic that your championing products for their innovation. How do you think the Grow Your Food movement will take hold in Qatar?
“The mindsets really changed for Qataris four years ago when the GCC Blockade affected most veg supply (Previously imported from Jordan). It became very clear that as a nation and as individuals we had to take a better approach to food security and start growing our own!”
Fingers crossed #GrowYourFood will take off! Any last words for people to get to know you better?
“Well, I’m addicted to museums, I’m a big reader and I’m a self-defined ‘positive workaholic’. I love all of my greens and veg with no particular favourite, but I’m originally from Lebanon and I have a long sentimental love affair with our cherry tree garden and olive grove back there. I still visit regularly after leaving in 2004. I do have some family in Australia too so I hope to visit them and Vegepod Shedquarters one day soon!”
Congrats and welcome to the family Iman and Vegepod Qatar! If you’d like to check out Vegepod Qatar for deliveries, please get in touch for them on Instagram at @specialtiesqatar or at www.specialties-qa.com.