Your local Vegetable Vendor Will Soon Be Using Whatsapp To Deliver You Cucumbers

Egyptian Startup Mashanna is connecting people to their friendly neighborhood vegetable lady. Filling out a form through their Instagram to share preferences such as date of delivery and location, you’ll receive a number that you can whatsapp to place an order. Mashanna finds your closest street vendor and delivers the vegetables fresh in paper packaging to minimize plastic waste.

“Egyptians are learning how to be more sustainable but have yet to apply what they’ve learnt” Mashanna Founder Karim El Domiaty told #SceneEats, “they haven’t had access the proper resources.” The ‘mashanna’ a traditional straw woven basket is a common sight in Egyptian street markets for both vendors and customers. El Domiaty named the startup after the humble basket as it  perfectly symbolises their focus on socially and environmentally purposeful purchases.

“Don’t just buy, think of the product’s journey” El Domiaty urges Egyptians, “where is the product coming from? Where is it ending up?” If you’d like to support @mashannastore ‘s journey for a more socially and environmentally responsible Egypt you can check out their instagram.