Yanboot: Local, organic products farmed and prepared with passion

Being healthy is not that hard; all that is needed is a strong will and a good selection of nutritious options. Yanboot, an organic farm in Jordan, makes a healthy lifestyle even easier by preparing and selling a range of colorful, fresh, wholesome produce and prepared meals. اضافة اعلان

Bashar Humeid, Co-Founder of Yanboot, told Jordan News that, after a stint living and working in Germany, he returned to Jordan and started an organization dedicated to environmental issues and rooftop farming.



Then, in 2014, he and his family founded an organic farm.

The farm’s primary goal is to provide customers with nutritious, practical produce devoid of chemicals and chemical fertilizers.

“My father, Professor Mohammad Humeid, teaches nutrition and food processing at the University of Jordan. He is adamant that food shouldn’t have chemical additives, and that it should be nutritious. That’s how I first became interested in organic farming,” Humeid said.



The farmer used to work in journalism, with a specialization in energy and environment. This, along with his experiments in rooftop farming, provided a background for him to explore organic farming and promote healthy agricultural practices throughout Jordan.

Going back to the roots
“Yanboot” is the Arabic name for Syrian Mesquite (Prosopis farcta), a plant that grows quickly and has therapeutic applications, with roots extending as deep as 20m underground. Humeid cultivates Yanboot on his farm.



“We believe that the plant’s name expresses our viewpoint and commitment to farming in Jordan despite the country’s challenging agricultural conditions,” the co-founder said, noting how the plant’s deep-rootedness piqued his interest.

In the Levant and Mesopotamia, the world’s agricultural cradle, humans have been practicing organic agriculture for thousands of years, he said. Agriculture began when humans first planted in this region, of course without the use of toxic chemicals or fertilizers. It was only later that fertilizers emerged with modern agricultural technology.



“The idea is to return to the original,” he said. “Organic farming does not ignore modern tools and technologies, but rather, cares about avoiding harmful substances in food.”

A growing market
Jordan’s organic farming industry is still relatively young, with Yanboot considered one of its pioneers and the Kingdom’s leading organic, local, and healthy grocery and farm.

Every day, the farm provides customers with fresh, organically grown, and processed products, according to Humeid.



“Since Yanboot was established, there has been an interest in organic farming, creating a kind of competition in the market. This will help develop the sector in Jordan,” he said.

He also noted that in recent years, consumers have become more aware of the benefits of eating organic, healthy foods.

Yanboot initially encountered some skepticism among customers due to previous negative experiences with other producers, the farmer said. “It took a long time to build trust.”



However, Yanboot provides consumers with a full experience, allowing them to participate in the production process by visiting the farm. Humeid also sends samples to the lab for analysis, to guarantee the safety of the farm’s produce. 

“We were successful in creating a Yanboot community over time via open communication with customers,” he explained.

Organic farming: A productive choice
Yanboot’s goal has been to demonstrate that safe farming is achievable. Farmers sometimes doubt whether they are able to grow a sufficient quantity of crops without fertilizers, which allow for higher production than organic farming.



“We presented a market model with higher-priced products because the production levels are lower, but consumers have become aware that they need safe products,” he said.

However, when Humeid started working in the organic agriculture sector, the price of organic products was “very high”. Yanboot has worked to reduce the market prices as much as possible.

The grocery sells fresh, organic fruits and vegetables and organic chicken, meat, and eggs. The majority of products come from Yanboot farm, while a few are produced in collaboration with organic farmers.



Organic produce and prepared dishes are important because they are natural and healthy, with fresh flavors and no harmful substances. In addition, nutritious, organic products do not have any toxic fertilizer residues, which sometimes lead to health issues.

Traditional recipes, organic ingredients
Yanboot Kitchen provides ready-to-eat meals for vegetarians and vegans, prepared with organic ingredients from the farm. 

The menu features a variety of both traditional and international meals, with local recipes including Freekeh, Tomato, and Tahini Kofta, grilled chicken with veggies, Musakhan, and several chicken and meat dishes such as Mandi and Mansaf.

For vegans, there are also special dishes such as pumpkin with chickpeas, Mexican veggies, quinoa with chard, and lentils with veggies, in addition to several other delectable choices.



Customers who have a sweet tooth can enjoy Yanboot Kitchen’s healthy dessert menu, which includes healthy date-based cakes and cupcakes, Helbeh, oat cookies, strawberry pie, and other sweet items.

Yanboot also provides local, organic products such as labneh with olive oil, olives, shatta, honey, organic spreads, and others.


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