Ahmed Irfan Khan runs Barkaat Foods, a food company in the Chicago area. Barkaat means blessing and they are surely a blessing to their customers and their Islamic community. At the core of Barkaat Foods is the principle that Doing What’s Right is Good Business. They harvest livestock adhering to the highest Zabiha Halal hand slaughtered standards. Ahmed knows about business. He is not just a faithful man, he also holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. It was there he was urged to find a niche. He did so by following his heart and his faith.
As well as preparing meat in the prescribed Halal fashion, they also offer delivery. Their company, Taaza2u.com, does a bustling trade. Taaza means fresh. They deliver fresh, custom cuts of meat and ready- to-cook products like marinated meats, patties, and various delicacies. In this way Barkaat handles the entire supply chain assuring that the meat is authentic Zabiha Halal from “farm to fork.”
Ahmed and his family believe in giving exceptional service. Ahmed says that it’s not the mistake that matters, but what is done after to make it right. Taaza2u has a call center that reaches out after each delivery to be sure the customer is happy. Ahmed agrees that it takes extra resources of time and money, but it has been well worth the investment. The business is on a growth spurt thanks to word-of-mouth alone. Factor in the savings in marketing, brand awareness and promotion from this kind gesture to their customers and it’s easy to see it’s paying off. Everyone’s talking about their service. Naazish Yarkhan, a local writer, had this to say about Taaza2u, “Their customer service goes above and beyond and patrons can even visit the pastures where the animals graze, for a company sponsored BBQ, at least once a year. Their delivery trucks are as commonly spotted in this area as are FedEx or UPS deliveries and that’s not an exaggeration.”
Ahmed believes that “You see the benefits one way or another when you do the right thing.” He does the right thing by his faith, too. At the heart of their work is Purpose: to make sure Muslims get Zabiha Halal quality meat. It’s not easy to find. This has to do with how the livestock is handled throughout the process: that the animals are killed humanely, with respect, and in the proper Islamic way. Their meats are all natural and hormone-free. This Blessing supports every Muslim in the community.
Ahmed and his team work their beliefs as well by offering a place where the faithful can participate in the rituals of the festival of Eid al‑Adha. “It’s right for people to see and connect with the sacrifice of the animal,” Ahmed said. Barkaat provides a gathering where everyone can come and participate.
The Qur’an states, “We made you to be a community of the middle way, so that (with the example of your lives) you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind.” Barkaat supports their community by giving time and the blessing of fresh food where they can. Feeding school children, assisting college-bound students, advancing American Muslim integration, helping schools to provide higher quality education, including advocating for leadership training and youth programs are just some of the causes they champion. Guided by a strong set of principles, their magnanimous gestures extend to international charity, as well as participation in societies that embrace the Islamic faith.
Ahmed and his team are living their faith through a successful business that allows them to give back to their community and beyond. “Giving in large doses can bring large rewards,” he said. Below is a list of some of the organizations they support through their bounty:
- UMMA – ummacenters.org
- CIOGC – www.ciogc.org
- CPSA – www.cpsaonline.com
- Islamic Foundation School – http://www.ifsvp.org
- Webb Foundation – www.webbfound.org
- MCCFTS – mccfts.org
- Rahmat-e-Alam Foundation – www.rahmatealam.net
- AMCO – amco.org
- IFN – ifnonline.com
- DarusSalam Foundation – darussalamfoundation.org
- Zakat Foundation of America – www.zakat.org
- Masjid AlHuda – www.masjidalhuda.org
- MSI – www.muslimsocietyinc.org
- ISNS – www.isns.org
You can contact Barkaat Foods at:
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