Cherfan Commercial Est. was established in 1988 by Mr. Tony I. Cherfan, registered from the start with the Association of Lebanese Industrialists. They started as producers and manufacturers of frozen doughs and pastries that are ready-to-use. The brand Tony’s Food is well known in Lebanon and the Arab countries for the high-quality food selected from the finest Lebanese gourmet. Its main objective is to create higher standards of quality and to further expand its market locally and internationally.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tony’s Food is creating a new line of frozen vegan products that are free of preservatives while maintaining long shelf life. They are focusing on combining rich fiber content with high protein plant-based to make the optimal nutritious product, especially for vegetarians and vegans. They are creating products that combine plant-based protein sources coming from Lebanese agricultural products.

WHAT’S THE INNOVATION?

Tony’s Food factory is known for never compromising on the safety and quality of its products by abiding to the latest standards. Authenticity is the company’s asset, they are always trying to create and come up with new products depending on the market’s needs and demands, such as: focusing on vegan products, which are currently in demand.

WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND THE INNOVATION?

Tony’s Food aim is to make cooking easier and fun by providing the best frozen Lebanese ready-to-use foods for families with the best Lebanese cuisine that “tastes like home”. They are now expanding their variety of frozen ready-to-use products to vegan foods to suit a wider range of families’ lifestyles and keep the mission of making cooking life effortless.

Nowadays, people are more concerned about the environment and what they purchase. By commercializing vegan products they are encouraging access to protein-rich foods that could provide a more economically and environmentally sustainable future for food security.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Tony’s Food focuses on small farmers to supply the Lebanese population’s demand for vegetarian, vegan, and agricultural products in the sector. Their strategy requires partnering with small farmers in different regions of Lebanon. Ensuring the yield of the farmers will not go to waste as they will buy the quantities agreed on (crop guarantee). By doing so, Tony’s Food is decreasing imports of raw materials with local agricultural products directly from farmers, allowing the farmers to increase their profitability and sustainability.

Working with Tony’s Food will introduce small farmers to global agricultural practices, the knowledge, and standards in the cultivation, resulting in a higher end-product quality. The benefits would be, that the product can be sold at a competitive price as the raw material is local.

A wider range of the population with different socio-economic levels will be able to purchase this product of high nutrition value combining proteins, fibers, and vitamins. In addition, they are working on exporting vegan products. This will result in higher production output, meaning more income and inputs for the farmers.

WHO IS BENEFITTING?

Agriculture is in itself a risky financial and social enterprise‏. Working with small farmers and opening employment opportunities will help these farming families financially. In addition, Tony’s Food would be providing the Lebanese population with affordable vegan items that are high in plant-based protein sources. This is important, especially during these hard times the country is going through where food insecurity is increasing because of the excessive economic inflation.