May 8, 2024
Alexandra Kinias

Close your eyes and imagine a bustling Cairo restaurant, alive with the aroma of freshly cooked meals and lively buzz of conversations. And while you are enjoying a delicious meal with friends, you glance around and notice something troubling – plates of untouched food being cleared away to the trash bin. It’s a scene that plays out far too often, not just in Egypt, but across the globe.

For Menna Shahin, that moment was a wake-up call. Sitting at that very restaurant with her husband Maxim Haartsen, she couldn’t ignore the sheer volume of perfectly good food going to waste. She asked about purchasing the leftover food at a discounted rate, but the manager declined. Shahin was deeply troubled to see all the surplus food ending up in the trash. And so, fueled by a desire for change, the couple embarked on a mission to revolutionize the way we think about food consumption and waste.

In a world where an estimated 870 million people suffer from hunger each day, the couple are leading a digital revolution to tackle food waste and reduce hunger. Co-founders of Tekeya mobile app, their mission is clear: reduce food waste, combat poverty, and protect the environment, all while fostering a more sustainable future aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Enter Tekeya – their brainchild, their passion project, their vehicle for change. At its core, Tekeya is a mobile app with a simple yet powerful mission: to connect food providers with surplus goods to hungry consumers seeking affordable meals. It’s a solution that benefits everyone involved. At first it included hotels, restaurants and grocery stores, but now Tekeya’s model primarily focuses on groceries rather than fresh food, collaborating with major hypermarket chains, suppliers, and manufacturers.

At its early stages, and similar to other impact businesses, mostly the challenge was spreading awareness and raising funds. But now that is history. Today, Tekeya has built innovative technology to piece together inefficiencies in the food supply chain, creating an alternative online sales channel for F&B suppliers & distributors to sell overstock products at discounted prices to customers through an online application.

But Tekeya is more than just a marketplace for surplus food. Being the first initiative in Egypt and the Middle East dedicated solely to combat food waste – it’s also a catalyst for social change. By making food products more accessible and affordable, Shahin and Haartsen are tackling two of society’s most pressing issues: hunger and poverty. And with food product sold at an affordable price, they’re also making a positive impact on the environment, reducing carbon emissions and minimizing waste.

“When we witness the impact we’re making, it’s rewarding to see providers making extra profit and feeling proud to support the environment while having a social impact. Additionally, knowing that users have access to more affordable, high-quality groceries is incredibly gratifying. These kinds of feedback make us proud every day,” said Shahin. 

In 2024, Tekeya reached the milestone of saving 250000 food items and started operating in the UAE with plans to start in Saudi Arabia before the year end. Moreover, it is officially nominated for Earthshot Prize, The Earthshot Prize is an environmental award launched by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, in October 2020. It aims to incentivize and award solutions to environmental challenges facing the planet over the next decade.

What’s truly remarkable about Shahin’s journey is her unwavering commitment to empowering others, particularly women. Her activism kicked off in her early 20s when she defied her parents to travel solo across Europe, a journey that transformed her perspective. Inspired by her experience, she launched “She Travels,” an initiative encouraging women to break stereotypes, explore the world and seize control of their own destiny. Despite facing societal criticism, Shahin’s initiative has empowered countless women, sparking a gradual shift in societal norms. “Believe in yourself and have the right tools to achieve your dreams, that’s what I tell other women looking to start their own businesses,” Shahin said. 

As a mother of two, pharmacist, Tedx speaker, entrepreneur, and advocate for both food waste reduction and women’s empowerment, Shahin stands among the passionate activists shaping a world they envision with passion,  dedication and resilience. She is driven not only by a desire to leave a better world for future generations but also by the well-being of her own children, whom she hopes will inherit a planet filled with opportunities and equality. When asked how she balances all these roles, Menna simply responded, “A great husband, a great team and juggling skills.”

And the impact of Shahin’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2021, she received several awards for her efforts, including recognition from EgyptStart and the “Outstanding Leadership” Award at the Food 2.0 conference in Dubai. These accolades serve as a testament to her vision and determination to create a better, more sustainable future for all.

With these awards under her belt, Shahin joins the ranks of visionary leaders and game-changers who are shaping the future of entrepreneurship and social impact. Her dedication to making the world a better place, both locally or across the globe, is a real inspiration to all who aspire to make a difference in the world. 

As Tekeya continues to grow and expand its reach, Shahin remains steadfast in her mission. With plans to launch in new markets and explore new opportunities, she’s showing the world what’s possible when passion meets purpose. “We are working tirelessly to build innovative, highly scalable products to enable us to scale our impact rapidly.”

In the end, Menna Shahin’s story is a reminder that change starts with a single idea – and that each of us has the power to make a difference, one meal at a time.

Download Tekeya here