Taanayel: A Local Company Profile I Admire

It's pleasant to see local companies adopting international standards in product quality, customer satisfaction, and exceptional service delivery. Few succeed to capture all three elements so seamlessly, but when they do, it almost always cascades back to the corporate values and culture of the institution. If the company believes wholeheartedly in its offering, and the employees convey that same spirit of self-belief, it’s the customer who at the end of the day gets rewarded handsomely.

For me, one such gem is Taanayel. The (Bonjus-)Taanayel brand is well-known in Lebanon, and not by accident. It was perhaps their labneh baladieh that first took Lebanon by storm and found its way into every household fridge. With quality ingredients free from preservatives, there's something uncannily homemade about the snow-white strained yogurt. 

Venture into the cheese product lineup, like Taanayel's baladeh cheese cradled in a cute bucket with desalinated water, and you will be equally dazzled.

I love their innovative line of drinkable yogurt blends, like the ayran, which comes in either whole milk or fat-free varieties. There's a probiotic formula called SantéVia, aiding in digestive processes, which is bottled in salt-free, fat-free, and flavored forms. Taanayel didn't forget the kid in us, as it features several flavored milkshakes as well.

Yogurts, you ask? They run the whole gamut, from fruit-infused yogurts, to the 0% sort, and even decadent dessert dairy products such as mhalabieh, chocolate, light chocolate, and crème caramel. More recently Taanayel’s introduced 80-g cups in fruit fusion flavors like apple mango and banana strawberry to entice children. They’re constantly expanding their product suite.

I'd be amiss if I omitted their premium ice cream line from this review. I was mesmerized when I first sampled Taanayel's individual-sized cups. With flavors like chocobanana and almonds; pralines & cream; chocolate craze; vanilla indulgence; pistachio; intense coffee; cookies and cream; and even savors more attuned to the local palate including achta and rose loukoum, you have to wonder who the dynamic R&D team at Taanayel comprises and whether they're hiring. 

In all seriousness, the ice cream consistency is smooth; the tastes are impeccably accurate; and the packaging with the small spoon hidden inside the lid confirms that no detail is overlooked.

Finally, I love this brand for its generosity. I can't describe how many occasions where I've seen Taanayel representatives handing out the company's products as promotional items - whether at supermarkets or trade shows or food and drink festivals or educational events. 

Where some companies offer you a spoon or dollop of their product to sample, Taanayel gives you the entire cup to enjoy in its intended form. To be frank, they’re not even in need of building brand image or recognition. But Taanayel refuses to get in over its head, and I admire that sense of continuous self-improvement.

Taanayel engages its clients actively—their Facebook page is updated daily with recipes, thoughts of the day, and head-scratching puzzles. The online website is a colorful cornucopia of the company’s history and product repertoire. Taanayel publishes contact details for customers to get directly in touch with them. 

Now that’s a company that truly prioritizes customer care, satisfaction, and ultimately, retention. Competitors and Lebanese brands, take note.

Some goodies from the Taanayel dairy product line

The above is expressly my own opinion. It was neither commissioned nor endorsed by the company in spotlight.