Despite being a very young country, Israel is home to many popular products and brands in the world. The economic hub of the country is Tel-Aviv, and it has many startups which are looking to revolutionize the world. From tech companies to food and fashion, Israel has it all.

You’d be surprised to know that many of the products and services you consume are manufactured or based in Israel. Here are some of the top products in the world that have their roots in Israel.

Chocolates by Max Brenner

Max Brenner is a popular chocolatier that was founded by the Israeli duo, Max Fichtman, and Oded Brenner. Even though it has its headquarters in New York, it was founded 25 years ago in Ra’anana, Israel. Since its inception, the company has expanded to more than 50 locations in the world—the majority of which are in Australia.

The company has a vast product range, which includes crepes, milkshakes, waffles, and hot chocolate. Their food’s quality is top-notch but their style of serving via unique vessels makes them stand out from the rest. They are also certified Kosher products.

The philosophy of the founders was for people to embrace chocolate in their life. Chocolate is symbolic of romance and sensuality, among other things. Their signature hot chocolate is one of their best-selling products in the world.

Waze

Waze is one of the many tech innovations to come out of Israel. It is a GPS-navigation software app that collects real-time map data, travel times, and traffic from different users and sends it to the main Waze server for free. In this way, people using the app can get real-time alerts for any accidents, slowdowns, or construction work.

The company was founded by Ehud Shabtai as FreeMap Israel. Ehud’s main objective was to create an app that has a map of Israel in Hebrew which can be used by anyone for free.

It was acquired by Google in 2013 for a massive $966 million. The 100 employees who were working for Waze at that time, received a payout of more than $1 million each. What a time to be a Waze employee!

Recommended Reading: 3 Inventions That Actually Came From Israel

Sabon

This is for all beauty and cosmetics enthusiasts. Don’t be surprised if you didn’t know that the cosmetics and bath products you love to buy are from an Israeli company. The company was founded by two young entrepreneurs, who used a 70-year-old Australian recipe to create soaps.

Sabon is the Hebrew name for the word soap. In Israel, the products are still sold under the name “Sabon Shel Pa’am” which means soap from the past. Since its inception, the company has expanded to operate in 180 different locations worldwide.

The brand has always manufactured its products from high-quality natural ingredients such as salt and algae. Their ingredients are sourced directly from the Dead Sea and all the products are still made locally in Israel.

Their philosophy of focusing on natural ingredients and everlasting fragrances has propelled them into being one of the largest manufacturer and retailer of luxury soap, cosmetics, and bath products.

Daniella Lehavi

Daniella Lehavi is a luxury designer of leather bags, shoes, and quality accessories. The company prides itself on making all products in Israel. Daniella opened her first studio back in 1990 and since then has expanded to countries such as the U.S, Canada, and Korea.

Due to a prolonged battle with cancer, Daniella passed away in 2013 and since then her son Ori Lehavi has continued his mother’s legacy. He’s responsible for the creation of products every season. The company has more than 60 employees working in different departments.

Women across the globe are avid fans of Daniella Lehavi’s products, as every collection is one of a kind and different.

Aroma Espresso

Who doesn’t love a hot steaming cup of coffee on a cold, rainy morning? The next time you step out to get your daily dose of caffeine, check out Aroma Espresso Bar. It was established in 1994 in downtown Jerusalem and quickly established itself as Israel’s biggest coffee chain. It has a worldwide presence with locations in the U.S, Canada, and Ukraine. It has more than 125 branches in Israel.

The company prides itself on sourcing the best coffee beans from the world. Their coffee beans come from different parts of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Their manufacturing technique includes roasting the beans in their native roasting plant. After which their signature blends are produced and supplied to all Aroma outlets in the world.

Apart from coffee, they have an extensive food menu you can order from. They sell high-quality sandwiches, salads, and paninis which are made in-house.

Wix

You must have watched the ad for creating your own website on this intuitive tool numerous times.  Wix is one of the most successful Israeli tech-startup stories. It is a popular website-building company providing services to millions of users in over 190 countries. They have over 5,000 employees across the globe and maintain a strong presence in Israel with their headquarters in Tel-Aviv. It was founded in 2006 by three aspiring entrepreneurs, Avishai Abrahimi, Nadav Abrahimi, and Giora Kaplan.

The best thing about the website is that you don’t need to have any knowledge of coding to build your custom website. You can use the drag and drop tools to create unique websites suited to your business.

Wissotzky Tea

Some of the world’s best tea probably comes from Sri Lanka and Israel. While Israel may not be the country that comes into your mind when you’re sipping your cup of tea, it is the home of Wissotzky Tea. It is one of the oldest tea companies in the world which has offices in London and the U.S. The tea is exported across the globe.

It was founded in 1849 and is currently headed by Shalom Seidler. They have their headquarters in Tel-Aviv and the manufacturing takes place at a factory in Galilee. Their signature collection of Black, Herbal, Green, and Artisan chai is loved by tea enthusiasts all over the world.

Jaffa Oranges

If you’re an orange lover, then you must have had Jaffa oranges once in your life. These oranges, grown in Jaffa, have thick skin and are seedless which makes them easier to export across the globe. They are also produced in other countries in the Middle East, but Israel is a prominent exporter of Jaffa oranges, especially to the E.U.

SodaStream

Who wouldn’t love a homemade fizzy drink on a scorching summer day? Well, if you love your carbonated drinks then you must have heard of SodaStream. It was founded in England but was bought in 1996 by an Israeli company called Soda-Club. It has quickly established itself to be one of the largest carbonated syrup providers worldwide.

AHAVA

Ahava in Hebrew means love, and it is another leading manufacturer of cosmetics. Based in Israel, the company sources all its raw ingredients from The Dead Sea. The company has quickly grown to have offices in Israel, Hungary, South Korea, Germany, the Philippines, and Singapore. Head to their website now if you want a 20% purchase discount on your first order.

Michal Negrin

Michal Negrin is a jewelry brand that sells romantic vintage jewelry and home design products in more than 65 different stores in different locations. It started as a small stall in the Nachlat Binyamin’s craft market three decades ago. So, if you are looking to impress your loved one with some exotic jewelry, check out this store.

Laline

Laline is another cosmetic and lifestyle product manufacturer which started with a small store in Tel-Aviv. It has grown considerably, and now has over 100 stores within the country and sells internationally. Their products are influenced by the Provence region in France and local Israeli culture. Check out their website for their vast product line which includes beauty products, fragrances, and grooming accessories.

No matter where you are in the world, you’ve used an Israeli product at some point in your life. However, the best way to enjoy all these quality products is to visit the country.

So, if you’re thinking of spending your summers in another country then do consider Israel. With its diverse culture, breathtaking topography, and some amazing cuisine, you’re bound to have an unforgettable experience.

However, if you wish to enhance this experience then we recommend picking up a bit of Hebrew. Don’t worry if you don’t know where to start, Ulpan-Or can help you in your Hebrew learning journey.

Our Hebrew digital courses are designed for individuals looking for distance learning and self-study. You can learn Hebrew online with native Israeli teachers. Our Rapid Language Acquisition method will allow you to expedite your Hebrew language skills. We also provide Israeli integration programs for immigrants where you can learn Hebrew for immersion in the country’s culture.

You can start learning Hebrew today by contacting us through our website.