Hi, I'm Mustafa, I started Palm Bites to solve two problems.

The first was deeply personal. After more than 20 years as a Quality Assurance professional in the pharmaceutical industry, my father was forced into retirement because of his age. Watching someone I had admired my entire life suddenly feel unwanted and overlooked was heartbreaking. I wanted to build a company where experience, dedication, and hard work would always be valued.

The second was the perception of dates in North America. At the time, dates were far from mainstream. They were rarely used as an ingredient, even as a natural sweetener. Aside from products like RXBAR, dates were largely absent from grocery shelves, and the ones that were available were often dry, uninspiring, and lacked innovation.

For me, dates have never been just another fruit—they've always been part of who I am. Growing up in an Iraqi family, dates were woven into everyday life. While many children in North America started their mornings with cereal, ours often began with date syrup mixed with tahini. We celebrated life's happiest moments by gifting chocolate-covered dates, and during times of loss, dates stuffed with walnuts were a symbol of comfort, hospitality, and remembrance.