Bestseller
A Legacy of Traditions and Empowerment.
Jar Thuraya’s journey began with Teta Maha, whose kitchen was filled with the aromas, flavors, and traditions of Lebanese mouneh. Through her homemade preserves and the women she introduced us to in her village, a simple idea grew into a movement.
Jar Thuraya is an inclusive community of women producers across rural Lebanon, creating handcrafted preserves using local, natural ingredients and recipes inspired by our traditional Lebanese cuisine.
More than food, every jar tells a story. It carries the name of the woman who made it and the village she comes from, giving visibility to the women behind these traditions and connecting each product to its place of origin.
By creating sustainable income opportunities for women while preserving traditional recipes and preparation methods, Jar Thuraya keeps Lebanon’s culinary heritage alive, and brings its authentic flavors from our villages to tables around the world.
What is Mouneh?
Lebanese mouneh is the traditional pantry of Lebanon: the jams, preserves, herbs, pickles, syrups, dried fruits, flower waters, za’atar blends and seasonal foods prepared at harvest time so families can enjoy the taste of the land all year.
For generations, mouneh has been made in village kitchens across Lebanon. Fruits are cooked slowly into preserves, herbs are dried in the sun, olives are pressed into oil, vegetables are pickled, and carob, sesame, nuts and spices are transformed into deeply flavored spreads. It is practical, poetic and deeply connected to Lebanese food culture.
Why we're doing it.
Across Lebanon, generations of women have carried an extraordinary knowledge of food — preserving fruits, preparing mouneh, working with seasonal ingredients and passing recipes from one generation to the next.
Yet the women preserving this heritage often remain invisible, and their work is frequently undervalued. At the same time, rural communities face shrinking economic opportunities, small farmers struggle to access sustainable markets, and traditional food knowledge risks disappearing.
Jar Thuraya was created to change that.
We transform traditional food knowledge into economic opportunity by connecting women producers and local farmers to markets in Lebanon and abroad.
Through every jar, we aim to create income for women, support rural livelihoods, source locally and seasonally, and preserve the recipes and preparation methods that form part of Lebanon’s culinary identity.
Because preserving our food heritage also means supporting the people who have kept it alive.
Meet the Founder
Martine Zaarour — Lebanese Entrepreneur
Martine Zaarour, architect-turned-entrepreneur and the creative force behind Jar Thuraya, believes that food is more than taste, it’s a story of roots, resilience, and revival.
Inspired by her grandmother’s recipes and driven by a vision to empower women across Lebanon, Martine transformed her passion for heritage and design into a sustainable social enterprise that celebrates Lebanese craftsmanship in every jar.
From architecture to artisanal food, her journey is a blend of creativity and purpose, honoring tradition while building pathways for women’s financial independence. Through Jar Thuraya, Martine continues to turn local flavors into global stories of love, care, and community.
Education & Fellowships
- Architecture: Bachelor of Architecture with Honors, Lebanese American University (LAU), 2014.
- Female Leadership: FLAME Fellowship at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Beirut.
- Economic Empowerment: Fellowship at Virginia Tech in Washington, D.C., supported by the U.S. Department of State.
- Community Solutions: IREX’s Community Solutions Program, including George Mason University and a 2022 placement at Centro Community Partners in California, supported by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.
Today, Martine also trains young people in entrepreneurship, sharing her experience to help them develop their ideas and build their own ventures.
In the press