ABOUT US
Datirs is a socially engaged enterprise run by a small team based in Barcelona, and led by co-founders Mostafa Shokry and Helene Tammik.
Hi, I'm Mostafa Shokry, the founder of Datirs!
I'm 35, Egyptian, and a mountain enthusiast with interests in nutrition, health, and bridging cultures.
My father, Ahmed, is a scientist who has researched the effects of dates on the human body. He once told me about date seed brew, which our grandparents traditionally drank to cleanse and nourish the body, calm the mind, and boost their energy levels.
I set up Datirs as a socially engaged enterprise that brings a sustainable alternative drink to contemporary café culture, while generating value for date growers because we use a part of the fruit that farmers often can't monetize.
A purpose-driven team
Our mission is to harness the power of dates to produce healthy, sustainable alternatives to everyday indulgences and rituals, while helping support rural communities in Mostafa's native Egypt.
We're gradually building a community of like-minded people around us - individuals who share our values of kindness, integrity, and a desire to promote more sustainable, low-impact consumption patterns.
Our core team is supported by a Digital Growth & E-commerce Specialist in Egypt, a Sales Representative in Barcelona, and a Social Media Manager.
How Datirs was born
The Perfect Puzzle. The idea for Datirs came to Mostafa gradually, with several aspects of his life coming together like a jigsaw: he's from Egypt, he has a background in community work and capacity-building, he's interested in health and nutrition, his father is a food scientist with a particular interest in the health benefits of dates, and he's very eco-conscious, with a desire to tread lightly on this planet.
Mountain Conversations. Both Mostafa and Helene are keen hikers, and during their hikes people would often talk about how dates are a nutritional powerhouse, offering a natural source of energy and a rich supply of fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
Culturally Rooted Ethics. It got them thinking about developing ethical products based on this culturally important fruit, which grows in arid regions of Mostafa's native Egypt, where nothing much else will.
Ancient Tradition, Modern Choice. Mostafa knew that his ancestors had been roasting date seeds for centuries and grinding them into a nutritious brew. With increasing numbers of people now seeking caffeine-free, planet-friendly alternatives to coffee, he decided to revive that tradition.
Datirs as a lever for positive impact
Datirs isn't simply about providing a new product for ethical and health-conscious consumers, although it's that too.
A fundamental part of the equation is that our work supports economically vulnerable desert communities that make a living in harsh conditions. By buying their date seeds, we're helping them generate new income while preserving their traditional low-impact cultivation practices.
Datirs date seed brew is our first line, and we plan to bring out a range of healthy date-based products for people to enjoy, safe in the knowledge that their daily pleasures don't involve exploiting anyone or damaging the Earth.
Our Values
