Berkat Madinah Store began in 2010 as a single small shop in Ampang and has since grown into one of Malaysia's established Arab food businesses — and alongside that growth, it has kept a consistent thread of community giving, including orphanage support and food donation campaigns. Here's the story behind the name that now supplies Sihatree's Arabic Gum Powder.
How did Berkat Madinah Store start?
The business opened its doors in Ampang, Selangor in 2010, at a scale far smaller than what it's grown into today. What started as one shop serving the local Arab and Middle Eastern community has since expanded into a business spanning three sectors: wholesale distribution, retail branches, and restaurants and cafés serving authentic Syrian and Yemeni cuisine.
The company is led by founder Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Zaid, with Dr. Ibrahim Abu Zaid serving as Chairman. In the company's own words: "Your partnership and support are the foundation of our success, and we pledge to continue providing services of the highest quality."
What does Berkat Madinah Store stand for?
The company describes its mission as providing "authentic, diverse Arab food of the highest quality — meeting the expectations of Southeast Asia's population and the Islamic world," built around two core values: quality and credibility. Its stated purpose goes a step further — bringing "the authentic flavors of Arabia to every city in the world, to all those who cherish tradition and originality."
How much has Berkat Madinah Store grown since 2010?
From that first Ampang shop, the business now reports serving over 500,000 customers daily, stocking more than 6,000 products across 12-plus categories sourced from over 15 countries, and employing more than 150 people across its operations.
Orphanage Support
Ongoing support for orphanages as part of its community commitments.
Food Donation Campaigns
Regular campaigns donating food to those who need it.
Recycled Packaging
Recycled paper used as part of its environmental efforts.
Inclusive Employment
Employment opportunities offered to people with special needs.
Quality & Credibility
The two values the company says everything else is built on.
500K+ Daily Customers
Reported daily reach across all of its channels combined.
Shop Sihatree Arabic Gum
Halal-certified, flavoured Arabic Gum Powder — supplied by Berkat Madinah Store.
Why does a food business also give back?
For a company whose mission is framed around serving a community rather than just selling to it, charitable work and everyday retail aren't treated as separate things. Orphanage support and food donation campaigns sit alongside the same operations that stock spices, dates, and Sihatree's Arabic Gum Powder — not as a one-off gesture, but as a stated part of how the business describes itself.
That framing matters for buyers who care where a brand's money goes, not just what's on the shelf. A purchase through Berkat Madinah Store's retail or wholesale channels supports the same business carrying out that community work, even though Sihatree itself doesn't separately administer the charitable programmes.
What does this mean for Sihatree customers?
Sihatree is the brand and content home for a flavoured Arabic Gum Powder range, and Berkat Madinah Store — the Ampang-founded business behind this story — is its official supplier, handling sourcing, Halal certification, and fulfilment. Learn more about that relationship in our supplier guide, or see where the story physically began in our Ampang store guide.
A single shop in Ampang in 2010 grew into a business measured in hundreds of thousands of daily customers — and orphanage support and food donations stayed part of the story the whole way.
