A collaborative research project between New York University Abu Dhabi and Tharawat Family Business Forum

Spotlight

Harraz

Information last updated on 21 February 2023

Snapshot

Founding

Family Name:

Harraz

Founder’s Name:

Abdul Rahman Harraz[1]

Earliest Documented Business Name:

Abdul Rahman Mohammed Harraz[2]

Founding Year:

1939[3]

Founding Location:

Cairo, Egypt[4]

Today

Current Operating Status:

Operating

Family Business Name:

Harraz for Food Industry & Natural Products[5]

Headquarters Location:

Cairo, Egypt[6]

Key Industries:

Foodstuffs[7]

Number of Employees:

Unclear

ABOUT THE FOUNDER AND FOUNDING STORY

Abdulrahman Harraz was born in Egypt in 1920.[8] He came from a family that had a rich history of trade in agricultural products. The family’s patriarch and Abdulrahman’s grandfather, Abdul Hamid Harraz, had been recognized as an expert in agricultural seeds since the 1880s.[9] Abdulrahman’s father, Mohammed Harraz, inherited the craft from his father and developed a particular interest in the medicinal properties of plants.[10] Growing up in the port city of Rasheed, he decided to specialize in organic food products.[11]

 

During his formative years, Abdulrahman would frequently accompany his father and grandfather while they did business.[12] At the age of 12, he became fascinated with discovering the medicinal properties of plants; taking a more systematic approach than his father had, he read about the topic on a daily basis.[13] As he got older, he focused on studying the science of herbal remedies.[14]

 

In the 1930s, Mohammed Harraz moved with his family to Cairo and purchased two shops, one in Bab Al Khalq and the other in Bawabat Al Metwally, entrusting one of them to Abdulrahman. Having gained invaluable experience, the teenager established his own business in 1939,[15] with medicinal herbs as its core offering.[16]

GROWTH PHASE

Over the course of many years, Abdulrahman grew his business into one of Cairo’s largest in the field. Across multiple generations, the Harraz family had maintained a firm belief that medicinal herbs are safer than chemical drugs.[17] On top of trading in herbs and other plants, Abdulrahman thus dedicated his life to conducting research in medicinal plants and herbal medicines, authoring multiple publications.[18] He received an honorary title from the National Center for Research in Egypt, where he lectured frequently: Sheikh Al Attareen, Arabic for “master of herbalists.”[19]

 

Abdulrahman’s eldest son,[20] Abullatif Harraz, also became interested in the family craft from a young age. After completing his university studies, Abdullatif bought a farm in the town of New Nubaria where he grew rare medicinal herbs and plants.[21] He subsequently took over one of his father’s shops, located on Al Ghouriya Street in Cairo.[22] He became an herbalist as well, and ensured that the store maintained its traditional character and appearance.[23]

 

Abdulrahman’s son Ahmed, born in 1954,[24] received his early education in Cairo’s French lycée followed by the Collège de la Salle. After graduating, he took over his father’s business Harraz for Food Industry & Natural Products, which he managed for 40 years.[25] [26] When founder Abdulrahman passed away, Ahmed established his own business, the Harraz Plant Medicine Group, and created an “encyclopedia” gathering all of the family members’ research publications and unpublished findings across the generations.[27]

TODAY

Still headquartered in Egypt, Harraz for Food Industry & Natural Products is now a national touchstone when it comes to herbal medicine and related products. The family business now operates over a dozen shops around Egypt.[28] In addition, their portfolio has grown to include a variety of subsidiaries and joint ventures across an array of business lines, including Harraz Beauty, a line of natural cosmetic and skincare products;[29] and Harraz Farm and Garden, maker and distributor of around 50 agricultural products.[30] Among the well-known brands owned by the Harraz family are Sweetal, a zero-calorie sweetener;[31] Oryza brown-rice products;[32] and Elnasr gum products.[33]

Notes

Photo Credit: Founder of "Harraz Nature Foods" Abdulrahman Harraz dubbed 'The Master Of Herbalists' in his office in Egypt. Source: Harraz Website

[1] “Welcome – حراز شيخ العطارين و العشابين.” http://www.harrazonline.com/about. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[2] “Harraz for Food Industry & Natural Products.” https://www.harraznatural.com/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[3] “Welcome – حراز شيخ العطارين و العشابين.” http://www.harrazonline.com/about. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[4] “يعمل في النباتات الطبية منذ عام 1939.. شيخ العطارين يملك كتبًا مدونة ….” 26 Aug. 2022, https://www.vetogate.com/4667236. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[5] “Harraz for Food Industry & Natural Products.” https://www.harraznatural.com/index.php. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[6] “Welcome – حراز شيخ العطارين و العشابين.” http://www.harrazonline.com/about. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[7] “زارب – Harraz for Food Industry & Natural Products.” https://www.harraznatural.com/uploaded/imagethoc1518471736.pdf. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[8] “Harraz for Food Industry & Natural Products.” https://www.harraznatural.com/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[9] “صاحبة السعادة – أحمد عبد الرحمن حراز “خبير الأعشاب والنباتات الطبية”.” 13 Nov. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEGsmvFFAqQ. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[10] “سامية الإتربي مع عبد الرحمن حراز أشهر العطارين ود⁄ جمال مهران أ˖ قسم ….” 7 Oct. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8kKV1dhYak. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[11] “Harraz Shop.” https://harraz.shop/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[12] “سامية الإتربي مع عبد الرحمن حراز أشهر العطارين ود⁄ جمال مهران أ˖ قسم ….” 7 Oct. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8kKV1dhYak. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[13] “سامية الإتربي مع عبد الرحمن حراز أشهر العطارين ود⁄ جمال مهران أ˖ قسم ….” 7 Oct. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8kKV1dhYak. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[14] “شيخ العطارين أحمد عبد الرحمن حراز وأسرار الأعشاب والعطارة هنعرفها لأول ….” 27 Oct. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyQdpBt0Pks. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[15] “يعمل في النباتات الطبية منذ عام 1939.. شيخ العطارين يملك كتبًا مدونة ….” 26 Aug. 2022, https://www.vetogate.com/4667236. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[16] “Harraz for Food Industry & Natural Products.” https://www.harraznatural.com/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[17] “سامية الإتربي مع عبد الرحمن حراز أشهر العطارين ود⁄ جمال مهران أ˖ قسم ….” 7 Oct. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8kKV1dhYak. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[18] “شيخ العطارين أحمد عبد الرحمن حراز وأسرار الأعشاب والعطارة هنعرفها لأول ….” 28 Oct. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyQdpBt0Pks. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[19] “صاحبة السعادة – أحمد عبد الرحمن حراز “خبير الأعشاب والنباتات الطبية”.” 13 Nov. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEGsmvFFAqQ. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[20] “صاحبة السعادة – أحمد عبد الرحمن حراز “خبير الأعشاب والنباتات الطبية”.” 13 Nov. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEGsmvFFAqQ. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[21] “صاحب أقدم محل عطارة بالغورية: «طول ما فيه فقرا فى مصر هيفضل العطار ….” 4 Aug. 2012, https://www.elwatannews.com/news/details/34077. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[22] “افتتح بعد قناة السويس بـ 10 سنوات.. “عم عبداللطيف” يروي حكاية أقدم ….” 9 May. 2019, https://www.dostor.org/2624757. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[23] “صاحب أقدم محل عطارة بالغورية: «طول ما فيه فقرا فى مصر هيفضل العطار ….” 4 Aug. 2012, https://www.elwatannews.com/news/details/34077. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[24] “حراز بلانتا ميديكال جروب | الرئيسية | مصر.” https://www.harrazplanta.com/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[25] “يعمل في النباتات الطبية منذ عام 1939.. شيخ العطارين يملك كتبًا مدونة ….” 26 Aug. 2022, https://www.vetogate.com/4667236. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[26] “صاحبة السعادة – أحمد عبد الرحمن حراز “خبير الأعشاب والنباتات الطبية”.” 13 Nov. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEGsmvFFAqQ. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[27] “حراز بلانتا ميديكال جروب | الرئيسية | مصر.” https://www.harrazplanta.com/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[28] “فروعنا – حراز شيخ العطارين و العشابين.” http://harrazonline.com/ar/find-us. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[29] “Harraz Beauty: حراز | حراز بيوتي | Harraz.” https://harrazbeauty.com/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[30] “Harraz Shop.” https://harraz.shop/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[31] “Sweetal سويتال (@sweetalegypt) • Instagram photos and videos.” https://www.instagram.com/sweetalegypt/?hl=en. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[32] “Oryza – Gulfood 2023.” https://www.gulfood.com/2023-exhibitor-products/oryza. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

[33] “Gum Arabic Instant Drink – Elnasr Industrial Trading.” https://elnasrltd.com/en/products/gum-arabic-instant-drink/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2023.

To cite this article please use:

“Harraz” Family Business Histories Research Project, New York University Abu Dhabi and Tharawat Family Business Forum, 20 Mar. 2023, familybusinesshistories.org/spotlights/harraz