Efforts to raise awareness on the importance of eating healthy food are getting a boost at the Healthy Zone at the eighth Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF).
“I think there is a lot of demand nowadays for healthy eating and treats,” said Ghanim al-Sulaiti, founder of Evergreen Organics - the nation’s first-ever vegan café located at The Pearl-Qatar.
The Qatari vegan, who was speaking on the sidelines of annual festival on Thursday, told Gulf Times that they are receiving a good response from visitors since day one of QIFF.
He said that people are queuing for fresh green juices, coconuts, and other vegan dishes offered at the Healthy Zone.
“That is a milestone – to see people in Doha thriving and craving for healthy food, which is amazing, and we are greatly honoured to serve healthy food,” al-Sulaiti stressed.
He noted that they are trying to inspire Qatar residents to eat more vegetables and fruits but in a modern and interesting way.
“Some people think that eating healthy (food) is boring but what we are trying to do is to change that and make it cool,” he explained.
Evergreen brought chefs from the US, Brazil, and London, as well as experienced staff, to prepare vegan food that cater to all ages – healthy and delicious as well.
A giant apple serves as an attraction at QIFF.
The café’s stall at the QIFF serves beetroot ravioli, one of its main dishes; and an array of cold pressed organic juices such as kale, spinach, celery, carrots, and cucumber, among others.
According to al-Sulaiti, people in the country look for events such as the QIFF to savour healthy dishes.
“People love things that look natural and I don’t think we can do anything more, we just give it the way nature give it to us,” he said.
Al-Sulaiti has been touring different schools in Doha to educate and inspire people to live a healthy lifestyle, ensuring children are aware of what they eat.
Part of his plan is to expand but want “to do it the right way” and make sure their brand and quality will not suffer. “For us, just to be open is a blessing and to be able to serve healthy food to anybody is a great thing.’
Raw, a plant-based food and beverage company in the Middle East (ME) taking part at QIFF, is also getting a good response from festival visitors, according to its ME operations manager Gabe Glennon.
He echoed al-Sulaiti’s statement saying the festival, taking place at Hotel Park this year, “is a great way to get people who are unfamiliar with the raw vegan healthy lifestyle to try some healthy products.”
“A few years ago, people see green juices as a little bit scary, but now, they are more familiar with it,” Glennon said. “I am sure they are more focused on a healthy diet nowadays.”
He noted that they also try to make their products delicious for children to enjoy it. Raw offers its products mostly to hotels, cafes and individual clients.
“We love coming out to events like this, our best thing is to get the products in people’s hands and young kids are always the best, they are drinking beet juice and don’t have any idea what it is but they see it is red so they like it,” he added.
The Qatari vegan, who was speaking on the sidelines of annual festival on Thursday, told Gulf Times that they are receiving a good response from visitors since day one of QIFF.
He said that people are queuing for fresh green juices, coconuts, and other vegan dishes offered at the Healthy Zone.
“That is a milestone – to see people in Doha thriving and craving for healthy food, which is amazing, and we are greatly honoured to serve healthy food,” al-Sulaiti stressed.
He noted that they are trying to inspire Qatar residents to eat more vegetables and fruits but in a modern and interesting way.
“Some people think that eating healthy (food) is boring but what we are trying to do is to change that and make it cool,” he explained.
Evergreen brought chefs from the US, Brazil, and London, as well as experienced staff, to prepare vegan food that cater to all ages – healthy and delicious as well.
A giant apple serves as an attraction at QIFF.
The café’s stall at the QIFF serves beetroot ravioli, one of its main dishes; and an array of cold pressed organic juices such as kale, spinach, celery, carrots, and cucumber, among others.
According to al-Sulaiti, people in the country look for events such as the QIFF to savour healthy dishes.
“People love things that look natural and I don’t think we can do anything more, we just give it the way nature give it to us,” he said.
Al-Sulaiti has been touring different schools in Doha to educate and inspire people to live a healthy lifestyle, ensuring children are aware of what they eat.
Part of his plan is to expand but want “to do it the right way” and make sure their brand and quality will not suffer. “For us, just to be open is a blessing and to be able to serve healthy food to anybody is a great thing.’
Raw, a plant-based food and beverage company in the Middle East (ME) taking part at QIFF, is also getting a good response from festival visitors, according to its ME operations manager Gabe Glennon.
He echoed al-Sulaiti’s statement saying the festival, taking place at Hotel Park this year, “is a great way to get people who are unfamiliar with the raw vegan healthy lifestyle to try some healthy products.”
“A few years ago, people see green juices as a little bit scary, but now, they are more familiar with it,” Glennon said. “I am sure they are more focused on a healthy diet nowadays.”
He noted that they also try to make their products delicious for children to enjoy it. Raw offers its products mostly to hotels, cafes and individual clients.
“We love coming out to events like this, our best thing is to get the products in people’s hands and young kids are always the best, they are drinking beet juice and don’t have any idea what it is but they see it is red so they like it,” he added.
