Boukercha traces Zerdamel’s origins back to October 2017, when he heard an alarming statistic at an Algiers environmental conference. A study found that Algerians throw away the equivalent of 120 million baguettes during each Ramadan, the holy month marked by nightly feasting. “The idea came to me to start an ecological project for myself,” said Boukercha. He decided to call his animal feed-producing initiative “Zerdamel,” a hybrid of the Algerian Arabic words zerda (feast) and mel (cattle).

Since establishing Zerdamel in July 2018, Boukercha has been refining his business model. He will train staff to handle each stage of production, from slicing and grinding the leftover bread to storing the finished product in biodegradable bags. From there, Boukercha plans to target distinct customer bases for Zerdamel’s human and animal end-users — restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets will receive edible breadcrumbs, while animal feed goes to farmers and agricultural wholesalers.

Thankfully, Boukercha has benefited from strong support along the way. Government agency ANDI (the National Agency of Investment Development) has pledged funds to Zerdamel. Boukercha also reminisces fondly about the eco-friendly training sessions that he received under a joint initiative of the Ministry of Environment and SwitchMed. 

These relationships continue to add energy to Zerdamel’s simple, powerful concept. A SwitchMed mentor provides ongoing advice; Boukercha’s government contacts are collaborating to design a national charter on preventing bread waste. If Boukercha has his way, Algerians will soon fully maximize their bread resources — right down to the last crumb.

Photos courtesy of Sergio Arze on Unsplash and Zerdamel