Droubna is a family project founded by Reem Khalil Haidar and her daughter, Zeinab. The work starts with what Lebanon grows and what local producers know how to make: fruits, vegetables, herbs and grains, transformed into jams, pickles, vinegars, molasses and other pantry staples.
From the land to the jar
Droubna began with Reem Khalil Haidar and a question that has guided her work for years: how to make better use of what Lebanese farmers grow.
Born and raised in the Bekaa, Reem studied Agricultural Engineering at Saint Joseph University (USJ). Her work took her close to farmers, farms and agricultural communities across Lebanon. She worked on the practical side of agriculture — soil, crops, harvesting, production — and built long-standing relationships with the people who work the land.
Twenty-five years after graduating, she returned to USJ to study Food Technology. The objective was practical: to better understand what happens between the harvest and the finished product, and to develop food products based on Lebanese raw materials.
She started working on a small scale, testing recipes, comparing ingredients and production methods, and documenting the results. For some products, she tested more than ten recipes before settling on one. The aim was not to create something new for the sake of it, but to understand what worked best: the raw material, the process, the taste and the way the product kept its character.
Working with producers
Much of Reem’s work takes place before production begins.
She visits farmers and suppliers, looks at where and how products are grown, and works with them on harvesting, agricultural practices and yields. She also carries out pesticide, acidity and other quality tests when needed.
She does not source everything from one place. Grapes, pomegranates, herbs and other raw materials come from different parts of Lebanon, depending on the product and the season.
The first product was vinegar, made with grapes supplied by a small-scale grape grower. Jams and pomegranate molasses followed.
The principle remained the same: start with the raw material and let the product come from it.
Zadd and Droubna
In 2019, Reem established Zadd, a company created to develop agricultural and food-related activities in Lebanon.
Droubna became its first product line.
The name Droubna means “our paths” in Arabic. It refers to the paths connecting farms, producers, food and people — and to a family history rooted in agriculture.
Reem and Zeinab
In 2020, Reem’s daughter Zeinab joined the project after leaving the corporate world.
With a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the American University of Beirut (AUB), Zeinab brought a different set of skills to the business: operations, production processes and technical organization.
Together, they developed Droubna from a small family initiative into a structured food business, while keeping the same starting point: Lebanese agricultural products, carefully selected and processed into food that can be used every day.
Today, Droubna continues to work between the farm, the producer and the kitchen — one product at a time.