HaaretzEconomy06:07

Ex-High-Tech Exec Burns Cash to Fight Israel's Supermarket Monopolies

By שלומית לן

Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba

Center-leftCharged tone

Hebrew · 2 newsrooms covering

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Former high-tech executive Kesem Li founded the HaChishuk supermarket to fight high living costs and intermediary prices in Israel. Despite admitting to significant financial losses, the store has attracted a wide range of customers. HaChishuk deliberately avoids major brands and sales, focusing instead on lesser-known products and smaller suppliers, though profitability is still a distant goal.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Kesem Li founded HaChishuk supermarket to combat high living costs and intermediary prices.
Li admits to "burning money" but has attracted a diverse customer base.
The supermarket avoids major brands like Strauss and Osem and sales promotions.
HaChishuk focuses on lesser-known, less expensive brands and smaller suppliers.
The path to profitability for the new supermarket remains a challenge.

Kesem Li, a former high-tech professional, has launched "HaChishuk" supermarket aiming to combat the high cost of living and intermediary prices in Israel. He admits to "burning money" in the process but has attracted a diverse customer base, from tech workers in Tel Aviv to struggling students and residents of remote areas. HaChishuk operates without major brands like Strauss and Osem, avoids sales promotions, and has minimal advertising. Li prefers lesser-known, less expensive brands, even declining to be photographed with products from a monopoly supplier, though some are stocked due to customer demand. He embraces suppliers like "HaNamel," a mid-level import and packaging company, highlighting his commitment to smaller players in the Israeli market. The path to profitability for HaChishuk remains a significant challenge.

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