Team Shatla: One-Stop Shop for Plants

INJAZ Al-Arab JA MENA | INJAZ Oman

Shahad al Hasani, Sarah Al Zaabi, Zainab Al Lawati, Ahmed Al Lawati, Hashim Mustafa

Houseplants and outdoor plantings are difficult to come by in Oman, especially in urban areas. Nurseries are not close-by, offer only a small number of products, and are usually understaffed, all of which makes finding plants is a challenge.

To tackle this issue, INJAZ Oman students conceived of, designed, and opened The Shatla Store, a website that brings nurseries within reach through edutainment (browsing  the site is a well-designed plant learning experience), online ordering, and home delivery. The gardening box that arrives included specific seeds that will grow into the exact right houseplant, a well-designed mix of dirt, a handheld shovel, and entertaining care instructions . . . everything Omanis need to grow the houseplants that fit their lives.

The road to creating The Shatla Store wasn’t easy. With the mounting pressures of high-school—especially with college looming and the importance of performing well in classes in order to open up scholarship opportunities—two critical team members left the company. When that happened, the rest of the team considered doing the same. 

Instead, demonstrating the resilience that makes JA so necessary in youth education, the remaining team returned to its original vision, developed a new business plan, and then undertook a marketing campaign that resulted in a 75% increase in sales.

Today, Shatla manages over 1,000 different plant species and, thanks to relationships with nurseries all over Oman, makes local pick-up possible. As their customers grow products from seeds to plants, Shatlas has its eye on the future, which includes landscaping, irrigation systems, Shatla-branded nurseries, and expansion beyond Oman.