Story by Peter McKee. Photos Courtesy of DATEible.
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Opportunity and a chance to make a difference.
These two powerful factors led the Klay family to what felt like a galaxy far, far away. From the suburbs of Dallas to the sands of Tunisia (the filming location of Tatooine from the Star Wars films), Kevin and Michelle Klay envisioned their own journey among the date trees and kind people there. With help from friends in Dallas and in Tunisia, along with a remarkable tenacity, unrelenting optimism, and their belief in what could be, Kevin and Michelle formed DATEible.
DATEible operates as an ethically-sourced, planet friendly food company which primarily sells date sugar, but also date powder and date spread. Kevin and Michelle Klay saw that many cosmetically unappealing fruit were being wasted, and that there was a potential in those dates to break into the market with a sweetener that had the additional advantage of offering many nutritional benefits.
Behind their grand entrepreneurial spirit though, is an even greater heart to invest in the people around them and be a source of good for the community where they are. 80% of the DATEible team is women from the town, where they are paid above-average, steady wages and are given opportunities for advanced training and leadership roles to which they typically would not have easy access.
These women have formed an essential core at DATEible through their bond of friendship and teamwork. Each one is able to operate any of the processing equipment, and each one covers for the other when needed so that they never miss a beat.
Additionally, DATEible has begun supporting English camps for the local youth in Tozeur, Tunisia, generating even more opportunities for the people of Tunisia. At DATEible, it is said, “There is a transformed life behind and in front of every package of date sugar…’ We value holistic health.”
If you would like to learn more about DATEible or have an interest in purchasing date sugar from an ethical Dallas-based company having a positive impact on local communities and the environment halfway around the world, you can find their products sold by PurDate at purdate.com.
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