Maher Gazbar is the co-manager of Eden Life, a food-supplements company based in the small town of Kettana, Gabes.
Maher (photo, left) completed his studies in mechanical and agro-industrial engineering in France in 2012. Afterwards, he returned to Tunisia to start a business with his father (photo, right), Hedi Gazbar, a life-long aqua-agronomy engineer and former director at the Ministry of Agriculture. Hedi came up with the idea to develop food supplements with spirulina, a micro-algae that is renowned in the health community for its nutritional value and immune-boosting properties. Maher’s two sisters, an agronomist and interior designer, also joined the business.
The family officially formed Eden Life in 2014. They grew organic spirulina at one of their own greenhouses, and then processed and packaged it at their production facility in Kettana. As one of just five spirulina-product producers in Tunisia, the company had strong growth potential, especially in high-value export markets like France, where spirulina was gaining popularity. Eden Life began exporting in 2016, focusing on the French market, and quickly generated solid sales. However, the company struggled to gain traction in the Tunisian market, where few consumers knew about the benefits of spirulina products. These challenges continued for years and were compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
At this point, Eden Life adopted a new strategy: to carry out biotechnological research for the enrichment of organic Spirulina with elements such as zinc, iron, copper and iodine and to present new food supplements on the national and international markets.
These products, attracted health conscious consumers and made Eden Life a brand with an international label of food supplements. After the validation of its research results by the relevant authorities, Eden Life developed new product lines. However, due to the financial downturn leading up to and during the pandemic, it needed outside support to manufacture these products and bring them to market.
To help Eden Life achieve this growth plan, JOBS awarded it a grant to fund a tableting machine and other equipment for its health supplements, as well as raw material. The company, meanwhile, invested in product packaging and marketing material to attract more consumers to its nutritional supplements.
To further boost the company’s marketing, JOBS provided the company with additional assistance in marketing strategy, product packaging, and e-commerce.
As a result of JOBS’ assistance, Eden Life has increased sales by 70%, sustained six jobs, and created three additional jobs.
“Now that we are back on our growth trajectory and gaining recognition in the Tunisian market, we can focus on future projects.”
Maher Gazbar
Co-founder – Eden Life
“The new tableting machine had a big impact on our research, enabling us to develop innovative products combining spirulina with medicinal herbs, such as rosemary and nettle.”
Hedi Gazbar
Co-founder – Eden Life
