Sometimes, the most impactful environmental projects are born from a simple observation between friends. For Yassine Zaghouani and Youssef Chebil, two high school friends, the spark came during ordinary dinners out. They watched plates return to restaurant kitchens with untouched, perfectly good food. They knew this food was destined for the bin. This triggered a deeper concern: if the waste visible in the dining room was already so substantial, how much more was being thrown away behind the scenes in kitchens, bakeries, and supermarkets?

Determined to find an answer, Yassine and Youssef decided to take action. They pitched a waste-reduction idea to neighboring food vendors, who were surprisingly enthusiastic. In 2026, Barakeat—a name blending the Arabic word for blessing (baraka) with food (eat)—was born in Tunisia.

The Power of the “Surprise Bag”

In Tunisia, food waste is an immense ecological and financial challenge. Barakeat directly addresses this by converting unsold, fresh surplus into a structured, scalable digital marketplace.

The mechanism is simple: restaurants, bakeries, and supermarkets package their daily unsold food into discounted “surprise bags”. Customers reserve these bags through the Barakeat mobile app at a fraction of the original price, picking them up at the end of the day. While the exact contents remain a mystery until pickup, the value of the fresh food is guaranteed to be significantly higher than the price paid.

This model aligns economic incentives with environmental impact, helping businesses recover costs and attract new foot traffic while reducing the carbon footprint of organic waste.

Navigating the Startup Journey in an Emerging Green Market

Launching a brand-new ecological concept in Tunisia comes with its share of hurdles. As fresh university graduates building their first business, Yassine and Youssef had to establish credibility from scratch. Introducing “surprise bags” was a major shift in consumer habits for a market unfamiliar with mystery surplus packages.

Beyond cultural adjustment, the team faced heavy administrative bureaucracy. Aiming for an Earth Day launch on April 22, the founders were stuck in a cycle of processing delays. Unable to open bank accounts or sign contracts without official registration, they kept pushing forward. By early May, their registration was finally secured, paving the way for their official commercial launch on September 1st, backed by numerous partners deeply committed to environmental sustainability.

The two co-founders complement each other perfectly across borders. While Youssef—the tech mastermind—designs and codes the app from the US where he studies computer engineering, Yassine manages operations and partner acquisition directly on the ground in Tunisia.

Capturing Momentum and International Recognition

Though Barakeat is in its early stages, its mission has already captured national and international attention. Following an appearance on El Hiwar El Tounsi, one of Tunisia’s most-watched TV channels, the startup achieved massive visibility.

That momentum reached new heights when Barakeat competed in the Glovo PowerUp Tunisia 2026 initiative. Out of more than 30 participating startups, Barakeat was chosen among the top 3 finalists to pitch at Glovo’s offices in Tunis—and ultimately won first place. As a result, the team is heading to Spain on October 4th to present the project and pitch to potential investors at Glovo’s global headquarters in Barcelona.

Before sharing his perspective on the journey, Yassine notes a connection between nature and their digital platform. In nature, no ecosystem tolerates waste; every organic surplus becomes nutrients for another part of the system. Barakeat aims to be the digital equivalent of that natural cycle—ensuring surplus food is treated as a resource rather than trash.

For aspiring green entrepreneurs, Yassine shares a vital perspective: “Be passionate. If you love the cause you are fighting for, you will work harder, learn faster, and stay resilient. To create lasting impact, build a business model that is financially sustainable from day one.”

Watch their appearance on El Hiwar El Tounsi

Join the Revolution: Partner with Barakeat!

Are you a food business in Tunisia looking to turn daily unsold items into revenue? Stop wasting food and start boosting your bottom line. Click here to partner with Barakeat and list your first surprise bags today!

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