Wednesday 01 / May / 2024
Muscat: In a country that is ideally known for its love for tea or rather its Karak chai, Yaqob Salim Al Rawahi’s business idea is a sure shot winner.
Zubair member and founder of Karak Baitna, Yaqob Salim Al Rawahi has been brewing a success story since 2018 when he first launched the Omani brand.
Karak Baitna came about from the owner's fascination and love of making Karak tea. The product, which is a mixture of tea and special spices such as cardamom, ginger, satin, saffron, cinnamon and cloves has a keen fan base of its own. Over the last few years, he has added readymade Karak tea blends with different flavours to add value to the brand.
Sustaining a brand as unique is a tough proposition in a highly competitive market. However, Karak Baitna has forged a special place for itself in the consumer’s heart.
A spokesperson for Zubair SEC said, “We recognise the excellent performance and professionalism shown by Yaqoob Salim Al Rawahi in building his brand. We would like to commend him for his hard work and commitment that has made a difference to his success He has the approach to do things differently and that has helped in setting a good name for his brand.”
The journey of making Karak Baitna a success story has been one of hard work, planning and application.
“We experimented a lot before creating the final product. We started distributing the products to the stores in January 2019 after signing agreements with some stores to distribute,” says Yaqoob.
Today, the Karak Baitna tea brand is available in 32 commercial outlets across various governorates of Oman, including Al Buraimi, Dhahira, Al Dakhliya, North and South Sharqiya, North Al Batinah and Dhofar.
Yaqob has participated in exhibitions in different places which helped him increase the popularity of his products.
Karak Baitna owner credits the success of his business to the support from Zubair SEC.
“They helped me create and grow the brand by providing them with the necessary support and technical services. They armed me with the necessary expertise and tools to succeed in increasingly competitive markets. Zubair SEC has contributed to the support and development of many companies that have become strong leaders in the local market. Karak Baitna is one of the businesses which relied on Zubair SEC services to advance,” Yaqob explains.
He redesigned the packaging at the beginning of 2020 and added new flavours.
Speaking of the COVID-19 challenge, “To overcome the tough situation we worked on some promotions and thankfully accomplished good sales rate. At the end of the year and the beginning of 2021, we worked on redoing the packaging. We added a customised logo. I am happy to have created a brand dedicated to selling quality tea, prepared with authentic ingredients, to the common people at a reasonable price. We hope we see continued success in the future.”
Karak Baitna continuously looking to spread its wings and will be available in more outlets in Oman. Apart from commercial outlets, Karak Baitna is one of the vendors on the Souqmazoon website.
“During these modern times, SMEs must keep abreast of the latest technology and adopt its efficacy to grow in their business. I am proud of being a part of this electronic platform which has Omani products, and which promotes local SMEs,” Yaqob says.
Zubair SEC provides a variety of services that include consulting solutions, guidance, business development opportunities, building competencies, networking opportunities, knowledge transfer between entrepreneurs and between those interested in entrepreneurship.
