Sabotage Cockroaches Cannot Stop the Adventist Health Food Industry in Egypt

When a major client contacted Hany Yacoub, general manager of Adventist Health and Education Foundation (AHEF), to report finding a cockroach inside a package, lying neatly on its back, as if it had been deliberately prepared and placed there, Hany saw it as a good sign.

“In almost 50 years of producing health foods,” he said, “we’ve never faced an issue like this. There’s no way that cockroach could have gotten inside that mayonnaise jar without being placed there by someone. I take it as a sign that we’re making a difference—and that our competitors have noticed.”

The client responded with understanding, and in the long run the incident made AHEF stronger. The team resolved the matter effectively and upgraded their packaging to make it more tamper-proof.

AHEF is the only Seventh-day Adventist health food factory in the 10/40 window, a region in the world where Christians are a minority. Founded in Cairo in 1976 under the leadership of Robert Darnell, then president of the Middle East Union, the industry was established to address nutritional and health needs in the region while sharing the Adventist health message through vegetarian food production and health education. Habib Banna served as the first general manager, followed by Mokhtar Nashed, who led the foundation for more than 40 years, building its reputation for promoting wellness and community service.

Today, under the management of Yacoub, AHEF continues its mission of improving health and demonstrating practical Christian service in Egypt. When AHEF first opened its doors in 1976, it flourished as the only business producing peanut butter and other Western-type foods in Egypt. Today there are at least 11 brands of peanut butter available, and the current market is far more competitive across the board.

Shifts in dietary trends—such as the growing demand for gluten-free products—have prompted AHEF to assess how best to continue serving customers effectively. The organization has also faced recurring challenges tied to the complex legal and regulatory landscape of operating a business in Egypt. Nevertheless, AHEF remains committed to moving forward, and Yacoub is encouraged by the amazing ways in which God has led and provided at every step so far:

“We are not just another business,” he says. “We don’t want to stay on the sidelines—we want to fully engage with and bless the community, serving with a clear vision, integrity, and excellence in everything, knowing that we can depend on God to do what is needed in His way and His time.”