This Spinneys Local Business Incubator programme winner will set you up with the perfect date
Sara Saleh was born in Sweden to a European mother and an Arab father. “My creativity and entrepreneurial spirit were shaped by my exposure to both cultures,” she says. And while her mind may constantly brim with various business concepts, it’s around two years ago that she came up the idea of selling gourmet chocolate dates.
“I decided to take the most common fruit of the region, the date, and re-invent it with flavourful combinations using chocolate and other ingredients to create a modern and contemporary twist on a classic,” she explains.
Sara christened her brand Kimri, which is also what the date is called in the 17th week of its life cycle when it is still raw and green. This was also the inspiration for the brand’s colour.
Sara worked up the courage to quit her job in February 2020 to focus on building Kimri, but the worldwide pandemic played spoilsport.
“I was disappointed and it was a tough period but then I heard about the Spinneys Local Business Incubator and applied. It has given life to my business. Without it I would probably still be stuck trying to find a way to sell my product.”
There are eight delicious flavours in Sara’s range and are available at Spinneys now. Her personal favourite is the raspberry cream white chocolate date. We personally can’t wait to try the lotus and pecan milk chocolate option, and the almond and sea salt dark chocolate variety.