Startup of the Week: Jeddah’s Purple Spoon is putting the color in catering

Updated 06 November 2019
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Startup of the Week: Jeddah’s Purple Spoon is putting the color in catering

  • Purple Spoon offers a variety of creative and colorful food products

JEDDAH: Maisa Fatayerji, an interior designer by profession, was always interested in cooking.

Her cooking talent earned her the title of “creative chef” in her family.

She said her family and friends always praised her cooking skills and motivated her to use this talent more seriously.

This encouragement inspired her to take a bold step of switching her career to launch a creative food catering service: Purple Spoon.

She does not regret her decision as she is doing what she loves the most. Her passion has become her profession.

Purple Spoon offers a variety of creative, colorful products.

“We offer a wide range of small tarts, cheesecakes and cookies to large customized cakes and biscuits. This is in addition to the mini salty savory items such as salads, sandwiches and pastries,” Fatayerji said.

Her Instagram account features 40 savory and 30 sweet items custom made for different occasions including birthdays, weddings and baby showers.

Skimming through Fatayerji’s Instagram account will leave you wondering where she learned her art.

“I am a self-taught person. I improved my talent through watching food decoration tutorials online and they inspired me to explore more. This year, I did an advanced cake decorating course in Jeddah and another in the US.

“We faced countless obstacles in finding a location for our kitchen in the beginning. We also needed financial support to be able to provide all the high-end imported ingredients,” she said.

“The food business in Jeddah is not easy because of the limitations in quality ingredients, overpriced products and spaces and difficulty in hiring well-trained employees.”

She overcame all obstacles and now her business is a hit in Jeddah. Saudis are not only fond of food, they also appreciate how it is presented.

Another important factor that worked in her favor was Saudis’ preference to give a special touch to important occasions like weddings.

Purple Spoon’s website can be visited for a list of all the products Fatayerji has to offer.
 


Prince Faisal leads Saudi WEF delegation in Davos, highlights need for global cooperation

Updated 45 min 43 sec ago
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Prince Faisal leads Saudi WEF delegation in Davos, highlights need for global cooperation

  • Private sector, govt must work together to ensure long-term prosperity, Kingdom’s FM says  
  • 56th World Economic Forum annual meeting expected to draw 3,000 participants from almost 130 countries 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s participation at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos next week reflects its commitment to strengthening international cooperation to address global economic challenges, while supporting regional stability and sustainable development, the Kingdom’s foreign minister said on Saturday. 

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said Saudi Arabia believes close cooperation between governments and the private sector is essential to achieving sustainable development and long-term prosperity. 

He added that the Kingdom will continue expanding cooperation with international partners at WEF and beyond to better confront economic and environmental challenges. 

Prince Faisal said the Davos forum provided an important platform to enhance collaboration in areas such as institutional and human capacity-building, innovation, technology and scientific research, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. 

He highlighted the Kingdom’s focus on developing new business models to boost competitiveness and create investment opportunities. 

Led by Prince Faisal, a high-level Saudi delegation will attend the forum, which runs from Jan. 19-23 under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue.” 

The delegation includes senior ministers responsible for finance, investment, economy and planning, commerce, tourism, industry and mineral resources, and communications and information technology, as well as Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the US, Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud. 

Saudi officials will participate in bilateral meetings and public sessions to share the Kingdom’s experience under Vision 2030 and engage with leaders from government, business, and civil society on global stability and prosperity, SPA added. 

Saudi House will also return to Davos in 2026 after its debut last year, hosting more than 20 sessions focused on themes including investment, human capability, quality of life, and global collaboration. 

The 56th WEF annual meeting is expected to draw around 3,000 participants from nearly 130 countries, including about 60 heads of state and government.