[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="The art of living with uncertainty" ids="115699,115696,115697,115698,115700,115701,115702,115703"]
By Hanan Alnufaie
A 25-year-old Saudi man who has been battling with metastasized cancer has become a role model for compatriots all over the Kingdom.
Mohammed Alshareef was diagnosed with cancer four years ago and the disease has now spread all over his body. However, Alshareef has mastered how to live with the uncertainty posed by this deadly disease even while undergoing regular chemotherapy sessions. He stands tall like a fortress, strong in faith and full of vigor.
Saudi Gazette met with Alshareef to talk about his journey and his desire to empower all Saudis, especially those struggling with cancer.
Speaking about his disease, Alshareef said: “At the beginning of my journey with cancer four years ago, I used to have intense chemotherapy sessions. I suffered a lot because of that. However, over the years, the intensity of the dosage has become less. I feel better this year, since I am having a break from chemotherapy for three months.”
Alshareef said the battle with cancer is not an easy one. “It is an experience that teaches you how to have strong faith in Allah, how to be patient and accept your fate the way it is,” he said.
He said Anas Al-Tamimi, one of his best friends who supported him all through, encouraged him to get involved more in the community.
Alshareef said: “Anas encouraged me to start a small business and we came up with the idea of owning a food truck. Anas agreed to become my partner. We started from the scratch. We started by building our own food truck.”
The venture gradually developed into a small factory where they build food trucks for nominal prices to encourage university students and youth with tight budgets to start their own businesses away from conventional jobs.
“It was Anas’s idea. It was just one from a list of ideas on starting a small business. We chose it and tried to implement it. We faced many challenges but thanks to Allah Almighty at the end we made this dream come true. After a while, we became manufacturers of food trucks,” he said.
“Anas is also my partner in the small factory of food trucks we established and it is named ‘Anas Trucks’,” he said.
Alshareef said their food truck is called “Analicious.” Besides Anas, he has another friend and partner in Rayan Almalki.
“Initially it was Anas and I. Then we found a third friend Rayan, who is excellent in cooking and preparing meals and sauces. We now have two trucks — one is for chicken and beef burgers while the other one is for pancakes and crepes. Both trucks have the same name, ‘Analicious’,” he said.
Speaking about the founding of the food trucks factory, Alshareef said: “We didn’t have the idea of manufacturing food trucks in the first place. It came to our minds after we decided to have our first food truck. We went to many places in Riyadh to design and build our food truck. We found the prices extremely expensive. The cost of the main box in the food truck ranged from SR80,000 to SR120,000. Then we thought about building our own truck in order to avoid paying this huge amount.”
They decided to look for a place where they can build their food truck. “Let us say, it was the experimental phase of our food trucks plant. We collected pictures of food trucks to know how they look like from the inside and out. We discussed with many food truck builders their experience. We paid for electricians, blacksmiths and other technicians who are specialized in different aspects of the work and worked with them closely. We experienced so many problems and we made lots of mistakes until we finally made it right after a few months of trial and error,” Alshareef said.
Anas Al-Tamimi has a master’s degree in business administration from the US. “He brought ideas from what he saw in America and we always tried to do new things in our society,” Alshareef said.
He said the main goal of opening the small factory was to support young Saudis who planned to own trucks but could not afford them. He said they build food trucks at very low prices. For example, the main box in their factory cost as little as SR20,000, whereas it cost between SR80,000 and SR120,000 at other places.
“We always give a 30 percent discount on the internal preparation of the truck. We tell our customers that what we want from them is they stand on their own feet. We are trying to do something good to our community because we want to be proactive members of society,” Alshareef said.
In fact, the friends had another motive behind setting up the factory for food trucks. Riyadh Municipality has set the condition that all food trucks must be new and not older than 10 years. “This was a barrier for many people who wanted to enter the business because new trucks are certainly much more expensive. People who enter this field can only start with a very limited budget of around SR50,000. So the condition is financially challenging to them. Lots of our clients are fresh graduates, and even students of both sexes. What we do is we work on the interior and outward look of the truck and fix kitchen, appliances, electrical wiring and safety features,” Alshareef said.
Regarding another service rendered through Anas Trucks, he said: “Some people do not have enough money to buy a truck. So, they rent it for just the weekends to showcase or sell their products. We offer them the renting service. The trucks are not for selling food alone. Some rent it to showcase their handmade crafts, fashion designs and for mobile beauty salons.”
Speaking of the popularity of food trucks in Riyadh, Alshareef said: “Food trucks have become very popular among all segments of people in society. They buy meals from food trucks. Many factors helped in this, especially the freshness of food. It is a popular idea in this field to go daily and buy fresh meat from butcheries. The same applies to vegetables — lettuce, tomatoes and onions. On the other hand, there are increasing numbers of Saudi youths who start up their businesses with food trucks. I can easily say that it is a win-win business.”
About steps being taken to ensure hygiene, he pointed out that it is one of the most important factors in making the food truck remarkable. “What we do is to clean before and after we provide meals. We also clean everything in the food truck at night when we finish in order for not accumulating bacteria and germs; gloves and chef hats are a must, and we let our team members to take rest and not come to work if they have cold or flu. The municipality sends its team to check on hygiene, sterilization and the quality of food almost on a daily basis. They also send teams to check on the truck to ensure its electricity, gas detectors, water and kitchen sinks conform to rules of general hygiene and safety,” Alshareef said.
When asked how much money a food truck can make, he said it depends on the location and, of course, the taste of the food and its price. “You cannot compare the income from a regular day to the income on a day at an event. However, I can say it is good business,” Alshareef said.
He said they try to be present at all event locations, including festivals and exhibitions. “We will participate in the Janadriyah festival this year,” he said.
Speaking of his dreams about the future, Alshareef said: “I dream of a big network of food trucks that can cover all of the Kingdom. I dream about expanding my business and owning a chain of restaurants and a hotel. To us, this is the first step, and God willing, we will expand as long as we are alive.”
When asked about the important lessons he learned from his journey, Alshareef said: “From my experience, I realized the importance of having your own business even if it is small. Because it has no specific working hours and it is flexible. You can also make good money. It lets you learn from your mistakes and as a result you develop yourself. You should have a plan for expansion. Work and never stop.”
Alshareef said cancer could be an obstacle to normal life in the beginning, but this obstacle can be overcome with strong faith and acceptance.
“Do not listen to anyone who tries to depress you. I went through this and if I had listened to their words, I would not have become what I am now,” he said.
“You should learn that what matters in this tough journey is your mindset. Your faith and acceptance will also matter. Believe in Allah and His miracles and then try to stand up. Don’t live the life of a dead body. Live like any human being who has a chronic disease. Try to be an active member of society. The golden tip is to give and help others. Believe me, it does wonders.”
