The country’s first apple chips factory to open in Jezzine

The Elie Rizk Foundation plans to open the country's first apple chips factory.

The NGO is coordinating with the Investment Development Authority in Lebanon (IDAL) in order to finalize the detailed feasibility studies of the project.

Elie Rizk, Chairman, said that it is the first apple chips factory in the country and will open in Jezzine.

The company will resort to assistance from German and US experts to bring the technical knowhow and install the machines. Rizk is also chairman of MICE Company in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, specialized in business event planning.

The Factory space is 5,000 square meters (m2) and will require around five million dollars investment.

Rizk said that he will give the citizens in Jezzine the opportunity to partner in the project, which is expected to generate around 100 jobs, mainly for local youth.

Production of the chips will require using 25,000 boxes (of 20 kilograms each) per year from Jezzine’s apple harvest. In later phases, the factory is expected to use 250,000 boxes from the apple harvest of neighboring villages.

“We expect demand for apple chips to be high although it is new to the consumers. This is because people are recently heading toward healthy food,” said Rizk.

The apple chips will come in several flavors, including chocolate, cinnamon, salt, and crispy.

All studies will be finalized within six months.

“We will be searching for the appropriate machines during this period,” said Rizk