A food delivery company founded by Arab Israelis is taking on the country’s established delivery services by focusing on communities that have often faced barriers to online ordering.
Called Haat, the company was created by Hasan Abasi after he encountered a surprisingly simple problem. While living in Israel, Abasi tried to order a pizza, but the delivery driver struggled to find his address. That experience eventually led him to create a service designed around the needs of communities that traditional delivery platforms did not always reach.
A Different Approach to Food Delivery
The Haat food delivery app launched in 2019 and initially focused on Arab-majority communities in Israel. One of its key differences was allowing customers to pay in cash.
That feature addressed an important obstacle for some residents who do not use bank cards. While major services such as Wolt primarily rely on electronic payments, Haat built cash payments directly into its model.
The option has since attracted customers outside Arab communities as well, including people in mixed areas such as Jaffa.
Haat has also expanded beyond restaurant orders. Customers can use the platform to pay certain utility and phone bills with cash.
Mapping Areas Other Services Struggled to Reach
The company’s challenge was not limited to payment methods. In some Arab neighborhoods, streets have historically lacked formal names, while homes may not have conventional numbers.
That made it difficult for delivery drivers, postal workers and emergency services to locate specific properties.
Haat began collecting information from its couriers and using machine learning to map roads, buildings, neighborhoods and entrances that were missing from conventional navigation systems.
The company says its maps now contain about 30% more streets in the communities it serves than other mapping platforms.
In Umm al-Fahm, the work has also supported a municipal project focused on naming streets and numbering homes.
Helping Local Restaurants Reach More Customers
Improved delivery coverage has created another benefit for smaller businesses. Restaurants that previously depended heavily on local word-of-mouth recommendations can now reach customers through an online platform.
Krunchy Chicken, which began in Baqa al-Gharbiyye, is one example. The restaurant later expanded to two additional locations.
Manager Sharif Masarweh said greater online visibility through Haat helped the business, while the cash-payment option made ordering easier for customers who do not use bank cards.
The company’s model therefore goes beyond delivering meals. It connects local restaurants with customers who may previously have had fewer options for ordering online.
Haat Expands Into Competition With Wolt
Haat has now expanded into Tel Aviv, where it is competing with Wolt, the dominant food-delivery platform in Israel.
The company operates in 50 cities, works with more than 10,000 restaurants and markets, and employs more than 500 couriers, according to its representatives.
The Haat food delivery app has also reached a valuation of more than $100 million, according to the company’s public relations and communications lead, Aida Kaddan.
Technology Built Around Local Needs
Abasi developed the idea while working for Google in Switzerland before returning to Umm al-Fahm when his wife was expecting their second child.
What began as a problem involving a missed pizza delivery developed into a larger business focused on technology and accessibility.
Haat’s expansion shows how a delivery platform can use local knowledge to address practical problems that larger companies may overlook. Its next challenge will be competing in Israel’s larger cities while maintaining the community-focused approach that helped establish the company.
