Zaytoun

What Zaytoun does

Zaytoun is a UK-based Community Interest Company (CIC) and registered cooperative, founded in 2004, that operates as a social enterprise importing and selling exclusively Palestinian-origin food and personal care products to ethical and Fairtrade consumers, primarily in the UK and Ireland. Its product portfolio centres on extra virgin olive oil (250ml to 5L formats), Medjoul dates from the Jordan Valley, raw and flavoured almonds, za'atar, freekeh, maftoul, Dead Sea bath salt, and Nablus olive oil soaps, complemented by a Trees for Life programme that plants olive saplings via the Palestine Fair Trade Association.

The company operates without proprietary technology, functioning as a curated importer and brand steward. Products are sourced through long-standing partnerships with Canaan Fair Trade (since 2006, 2,000+ farms across 52 villages), PFTA (1,400+ farmers), Nakheel Palestine, Palestine Gardens, Nablus Soap Company, and West Bank Salt Company. Fairtrade and Soil Association organic certifications, plus EUR1 and phytosanitary documentation, underpin the compliance and traceability proposition.

Revenue is generated through a multi-channel model: direct-to-consumer via the own website (redirecting to Ethical Superstore), wholesale to retailers including Oxfam, Planet Organic, Whole Foods Market, The Ethical Shop, and Sous Chef, B2B trade with the hospitality sector, and donations via the Trees for Life programme. 100% of profits are reinvested into the mission, and the company has no private shareholders. The loss of primary retail partner Traidcraft to administration in 2024 prompted a transition of online retail to Ethical Superstore, and recent activity has focused on product line extension (Smoked Almonds 2023, Dead Sea Bath Salt 2022, Unfiltered Olive Oil 2021), board professionalisation, and concurrent multi-role recruitment.

Name

Zaytoun

Legal name

Zaytoun CIC

Website

https://zaytoun.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Zaytoun is a UK-based Community Interest Company, founded in 2004, that imports and sells exclusively Palestinian fair trade food and personal care products (olive oil, Medjoul dates, almonds, za'atar, soap) to ethical consumers in the UK and Ireland, reinvesting 100% of profits into Palestinian farming communities via the Trees for Life programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fair Trade Specialty Foods

NAICS

All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Halal & Middle Eastern Grocery Stores (CRAHAFAC)

Keywords

• Fair trade food products
• Palestinian olive oil
• Medjoul dates wholesale
• Ethically sourced groceries
• Organic Mediterranean foods

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of ethically sourced Palestinian food products including olive oil, Medjoul dates, almonds, za'atar, freekeh, maftoul, Dead Sea bath salts, and olive oil soaps
2. Trees for Life Programme: Tree planting donations where £25 pays for 5 olive tree saplings to be distributed by PFTA

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Zaytoun sources, imports, and distributes a curated range of Palestinian fine foods — extra virgin olive oil, Medjoul dates, almonds, za'atar, freekeh, maftoul, Dead Sea bath salt, and Nablus olive oil soaps — exclusively from Palestinian producer cooperatives and smallholder farmers. Products are sold through the company's own website, the Ethical Superstore partnership, and a network of UK retail stockists, with all profits reinvested into supporting Palestinian farming communities through fair trade.

Product overview

Zaytoun is a UK-based Community Interest Company (CIC) that operates as an ethical food brand specialising in exclusively sourced Palestinian fine foods and artisan products. The product portfolio centres on award-winning Extra Virgin Olive Oil (available in multiple sizes from 250ml to 5L), Medjoul Dates from Jericho's Jordan Valley, Raw and Roasted Almonds (including smoked, caramelised, and chilli varieties), Za'atar herb mix, Green Wheat Freekeh, and Giant Couscous Maftoul. The company also offers Dead Sea Bath Salt and traditional Nablus Olive Oil Soaps as part of a broader personal care range. Products are sold through the Ethical Superstore e-commerce platform and various retail partners. Zaytoun reinvests 100% of profits into supporting Palestinian farming communities through fair trade practices, complemented by a Trees for Life programme enabling customers to sponsor olive tree planting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil Hand-picked, rain-fed, organic and Fairtrade extra virgin olive oil made from Palestinian olives with a warm peppery taste, available in 250ml, 500ml, 750ml, and 5L formats and sold to ethical consumers and trade partners across the UK and Ireland.
• Jericho's Finest Medjoul Dates Medjoul dates sourced from Palestinian growers in the Jordan Valley (described as the 'King of Dates') with a succulent caramel taste, available in 250g, 500g, 800g, and 5kg sizes for retail and wholesale customers.
• Lemon Olive Oil Soap Olive oil soap from Nablus hand-crafted in small batches using traditional methods by the Tbeleh family, 100% natural, biodegradable, and cruelty-free with gentle moisturising properties for everyday personal care.
• Dead Sea Bath Salt Mineral-rich pure salt harvested from the Dead Sea by the only Palestinian producer (West Bank Salt Company, founded 1960) to nourish dry skin and soothe achy muscles for use in personal care.
• Raw Almonds (Om Al-Fahem) Organic and Fairtrade raw almonds of the regional 'Om Al-Fahem' variety, from rain-fed trees, hand-picked in summer and sun-dried; awarded a Great Taste Award star.
• Green Wheat Freekeh Flame-roasted green wheat harvested in spring while still green and roasted in fields, with a smoky flavour for use in soups, salads, risottos, and pilafs. Great Taste Award winner.
• Giant Couscous Maftoul Iconic Palestinian giant couscous hand-rolled by women from organic bulgur wheat, with a nutty taste suitable for pilafs, salads, tagines, and soups. Great Taste Award winner.
• Za'atar Wild-grown Palestinian herb blend of thyme, sumac and sesame from the Burqin Women's Cooperative, used with olive oil on fresh bread, in tomato salads, or on roasts.
• Unfiltered Olive Oil Organic cold-pressed unfiltered extra-virgin olive oil that retains light olive pulp for fuller taste notes, including characteristic pepperiness; limited edition in 500ml swing-top bottle.
• Roasted Chilli Almonds Palestinian roasted almonds seasoned with chilli for a fiery crunch, sold as a snack product within the almond range.
• Caramelised Almonds Slowly roasted Palestinian almonds with a sweet caramelised coating, sold as a snack within the almond product range.
• Smoked Almonds Smoked roasted almonds added to Zaytoun's range alongside the chilli roasted and caramelised almond variants.
• The Zaytoun Collection (Gift Box) Gift box assortment of Zaytoun's fine Palestinian foods including olive oil, Medjoul dates, almonds, za'atar, freekeh, and maftoul, sold as a single gift offering.
• Trees for Life Olive Sapling Sponsorship Olive sapling sponsorship programme run with the Palestine Fair Trade Association: customers donate GBP 25 to plant five olive tree saplings with a single e-certificate (single-tree option available with separate certificates), supporting Palestinian farmers whose land has been impacted by occupation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 297,883 trees planted through Trees for Life programme as of September 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Palestine GardenscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Supplies Medjoul dates from growers in the Jordan Valley. Aim is to increase share of Palestinian agricultural product in global markets. Partnership since 2013.
• Nakheel PalestinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Regional leader in growing, packing, and exporting Palestinian Medjoul dates. Previously named MADICO. Supplies fudgy Medjoul dates from Jericho since 2011.
• Canaan Fair TradecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Works with over 2,000 artisan family farms across 52 villages to sustainably source olive oil, almonds, za'atar, freekeh and maftoul. Based in Jenin, northern Palestine. Longstanding partnership since 2006.
• The Nablus Soap CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1971Olive oil soaps made by The Nablus Soap Company founded in 1971 by the Tbeleh family who have been making soap for over 400 years.
• Palestine Fair Trade Association (PFTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest fair trade producers union in Palestine with over 1,400 small-scale Palestinian farmers in fair trade collectives. Supplies products via Canaan Fair Trade and manages Trees for Life tree planting scheme.
• West Bank Salt CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnly Palestinian Dead Sea Salt producer, founded in 1960. Located on the west bank of the Dead Sea. Supplies 100% natural bath salt.
• Good ShippingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDecarbonized shipping partner for Zaytoun's shipping operations.
• Ethical SuperstorecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary online retail partner selling full range of Zaytoun products along with other ethically sourced foods, crafts, clothes and household products.
• Fairtrade FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZaytoun is audited by the Fairtrade Foundation. Products are certified Fairtrade where possible.
• Soil AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZaytoun is audited by the Soil Association. Products are certified organic where possible.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cafédirect: UK fair trade coffee, tea, and cocoa producer-ownership brand. Comparable as a UK-anchored fair trade brand selling through major retailers and own channels, with a producer-ownership/cooperative structure similar to Zaytoun's CIC model.
• Liberation Foods: UK-based fair trade nut and dried fruit wholesaler working with small-scale producer cooperatives globally. Highly comparable to Zaytoun in mission (fair trade, smallholder farmer support), product overlap (nuts, dried fruit), and UK retail/wholesale distribution model.
• Divine Chocolate: UK fair trade chocolate company owned by a cooperative of Ghanaian cocoa farmers. Directly comparable mission-driven model (farmer-owned, Fairtrade, UK retail distribution), and Zaytoun's Communications Manager previously led communications at Divine for 17 years, indicating close industry adjacency.
• Clipper Teas: UK fair trade and organic tea brand stocked across UK grocery and ethical retail. Comparable in fair trade certification, UK retail positioning, and target consumer (ethical/Fairtrade shoppers), though operating in hot beverages rather than Mediterranean/Middle Eastern foods.
• Traidcraft: UK pioneer of fair trade retail and wholesale. Although now in administration, Traidcraft was historically Zaytoun's primary retail partner and operates in the same UK fair trade food/consumer goods category. Zaytoun board member Michael Gidney previously served as Director of Policy at Traidcraft, underscoring deep operational and mission overlap.
• Equal Exchange: US-based fair trade cooperative sourcing coffee, chocolate, bananas, and nuts from small farmer cooperatives. Comparable in mission (smallholder support, cooperative ownership, fair trade certification) and product categories (nuts, dried produce), though US-anchored rather than UK.

Broad incumbents

• Infinity Foods: UK wholesale distributor of organic, vegetarian, fair trade, and natural foods supplying independent retailers. Comparable in ethical/specialty wholesale channel coverage and Fairtrade/Soil Association-certified product range, operating as a UK cooperative.
• Suma Wholefoods: UK cooperative wholesale and retail distributor of organic, vegetarian, and ethically sourced wholefoods. Comparable in cooperative ownership structure and UK ethical/specialty food wholesale channels that Zaytoun taps into for distribution.
• Yeo Valley: UK organic dairy and food brand with national distribution across mainstream UK grocery. Comparable as an established UK organic brand in the same Soil Association-certified ecosystem and overlapping consumer base, though far larger and broader in scope.

Emerging players

• Steenbergs: UK-based specialist in organic spices, herbs, and baking ingredients. Comparable as a small UK organic/specialty food brand selling through independent retailers and online channels with overlapping consumer (ethical home cooks).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Zaytoun_CIC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6B5KAQu98Pn2HqKjI4zIWA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZaytounUK
• Instagraminstagram.com/zaytoun_cic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zaytoun

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zaytoun