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The Arabic entrepreneurship-themed reality show Beban -which airs every Wednesday on Bahrain TV and AlRai TV, as well as on the video-on-demand platform Shahid- has facilitated the co-investment of US$160,000 in two promising Bahraini businesses in the first episode of its Season 2.
The Beban show aims to shed light on local business success stories in Bahrain and facilitate co-investment in order to strategically accelerate their growth in regional and international markets.
The show is produced by Hope Ventures, the investment arm of Hope Fund, which was established by the decree from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and supervised by H.H. Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, His Majesty’s Representative for Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs.
The Steel Masters team. Image courtesy Beban.
The first episode of Beban Season 2 featured the investors’ panel consisting of Roaya Saleh, founder of Villa Mamas restaurants, Mohamed Al Aali, Managing Director of the United Enterprises Group of Companies, H.E. Aymen bin Tawfiq Almoayed, Chairman of Hope Fund, and angel investor Suhail Algosaibi.
The investors decided to support Steel Masters, a Bahrain-based manufacturer of customized barbeque equipment, grills, smokers, and food trucks, with $120,000, and Frozen Nutrition, a platform that offers fresh frozen fruits and detox cubes that are preservatives and sugar-free, with $40,000.
Mohammed Al-Aradi, founder and CEO of Frozen Nutrition. Image courtesy Beban.
Mahdi Taheri, co-founder and CEO of Steel Masters, said, “Being chefs for 17 years, my co-founder and I started Steel Masters to meet the demand of BBQ lovers who are looking for the right equipment for the right price. We always had our eyes and efforts set on going regional, with Oman being our first stop. The investment raised on Beban will enable us to further expand regionally at a faster rate.”
Mohammed Al-Aradi, founder and CEO of Frozen Nutrition, said, “Starting a business that caters to an underserved segment of society was key to me, which is why I am beyond excited to receive this investment through Beban. We will be developing Frozen Nutrition’s operations, increasing our production of frozen fruits and detox cubes, and utilizing the expertise of Hope’s co-investors to mentor us through growth.”
Fajer Al Pachachi, General Manager at Hope Ventures. Image courtesy Beban.
Speaking on behalf of the investors, Fajer Al Pachachi, General Manager at Hope Ventures, said, “Our investment in Steel Masters and Frozen Nutrition is an investment in Mahdi, Hussain, and Mohammed. These founders demonstrated true determination and knowledge of their businesses’ industries with a willingness and vision to grow and expand on a regional level. Steel Masters has a competitive edge over the ready-made equipment market through its personalization and adherence to its clients’ precise needs and affordability, while Frozen Nutrition fills a gap in the local food and beverages market– and we are thrilled about our co-investment in both businesses with our co-investors who will strategically empower these businesses to scale.”