Djo Benna promotes Beja’s diverse fruits

Djebbi is a surname with its roots in the agricultural region of Beja. By launching Djo Benna, a fresh juice production unit in Thibar, Hechem Djebbi is promoting the region’s rich biodiversity and continuing the path of his ancestors.

After a vocational training in agribusiness and food processing between 2013 and 2015, and graduating 3rd in his class, Hechem started his professional career. An active character, Hechem easily found employment and followed a series of work assignments and training courses. After experience within a large industrial group in the dairy sector, which proved to be disappointing, he decided to launch a business and become his own boss.

The young entrepreneur started the first steps of his entrepreneurial career by preparing the study of his project in 2017. “I wanted to launch a project where I could promote Beja’s rich biodiversity and develop job opportunities in my region.”

With a total investment of 150,000 TND including a credit of 60,000 TND from the BTS and 90,000 TND of self-financing, Hechem Djebbi started preparing his production site in September 2018 and officially launched Djo Benna in January 2019.

“I had to invest in the location, premises and the installation of machines to enable a food processing system where production meets hygiene standards. This process also enabled me to acquire ISO 9001 certification and I expect to obtain ISO 22000 soon.”

Djo Benna offers a large variety of fresh juices and relies on the seasonality of fruits such as lemon throughout the year, oranges and apples in autumn and winter, strawberries, peaches, and figs during summer.

“I buy directly from local farmers. This allows me to guarantee the traceability of the product and, above all, to select the best quality fruit at a good price. I follow the fruit from the moment the tree is planted until it is ripe and picked.”

Even if supported by 6 employees, Hechem remains active on all fronts, from management and production, to logistics. “My production capacity depends on the season and the orders I receive from my clients. I sell to small and medium-sized retailers in the north western regions of Beja, Jendouba, Siliana and Kef.”

In 2019, Hechem learnt about the Mashrou3i project through social media and the region’s Business Center. He then benefited from deep dive business coaching, as well as several trainings in marketing and sales, and financial benefits, led by Mashrou3i’s experts and in collaboration with the APII regional structures. Mashrou3i also provided Hachem with HACCP training to enhance food safety management and product quality.

“Mashrou3i provided me with training, like the HACCP training to ensure my juices meet food safety standards. The project also enabled me to produce product labels and other promotional materials to raise awareness of my juice brand.”

That same year, his company took off and Hechem Djebbi won two gold medals for his juices of dates and figs in the local produce contest organized by UNIDO’s PAMPAT project.

On the top of his career as a young entrepreneur, Hechem is already advising future generations on entrepreneurship: “You have to overcome your fears. You can’t succeed if you don’t take risk failure.”