BEIRUT, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Puck, a global brand with purpose, belonging to Arla Foods multinational dairy company, announced today the launch of "Selfless Shelves," an initiative aiming to empower five entrepreneurial women from five distinct villages in Lebanon, by granting them shelf space in Carrefour stores to sell their handcrafted and locally sourced produce known as "mouneh," packed in repurposed Puck glass jars. These jars highlight each woman's heart-warming story and aim to support their families with earned income. The artisanal products these five women will be selling include culinary delights such as makdous eggplant, zaatar, dried orange bitter peels, sumac, and pumpkin jam and are now available on shelves at select Carrefour branches in Lebanon starting from January 22, 2024.
Puck is launching the initiative in light of the economic crisis in Lebanon, which has left a staggering 63% of women unemployed – as stated in a report by UN Women. This is particularly prevalent in the remote regions of Lebanon where job opportunities have reached an all-time low. As a result, women across Lebanon's villages have resorted to selling "mouneh" to their communities as a means of earning a basic income. Puck noticed the initiative these women were taking towards supporting their families and decided to encourage them to continue pursuing homegrown forms of income by providing jars and shelf space for their products.
Yahia Adel Z AlSharif, Head of Category at Arla Foods, expressed enthusiasm for this campaign, stating: "Puck's proactive efforts towards community-wide sustainable consumer behaviour aim to generate positive change on a socioeconomic and environmental level. It is inspiring to see Puck take steps through ongoing campaigns to encourage mindful habits by reusing its glass jars whilst also supporting and empowering Lebanon's women-led local artisanal businesses."
And this is just the beginning. Puck understands the importance of female empowerment in society and has announced that the "Selfless Shelves" initiative is a pilot for more programs that the brand intends to roll out in the future, to continue taking conscious steps towards the improvement of women's wellbeing by providing them with healthier products, a variety of offerings and inspirational recipes.
