Dates are very popular in the Middle East. The DIDI challenge was to create for Nestle, which does not currently have a date-based product, “a food or beverage with all or one of the parts of the date plant as the primary ingredient”. My friends and I set out to create a healthy product targeting the MENA region for this competition.

We began by speaking to different target groups to better understand their customs and habits. Then, we met with local chefs to gain their feedback on our proposed idea – to grind the date seeds and make date “coffee”. We branded our product Dately, designed a logo and used reusable paper bags to make sustainable packaging. For the final stage, we passed out samples at a food court for people to try. The feedback was positive with regards to the taste and the fact that it was caffeine-free – a healthy alternative to traditional coffee.