Co-Founder · Sustainability & Science

Halima Usama

Scientist by training. Builder by instinct.

I co-founded Refyndo, a circular-commerce venture, and my background runs across operations, sustainability and food science. What connects it all is how I approach a problem — thinking in systems, and looking for ways to do things a little better, whatever the field.

Co-Founder, Refyndo — circular commerce
Explore my workRead the Journal →

Hi there, welcome to Halima's Portal.

What I'm building

Refyndo

A circular-commerce marketplace I co-founded in Sweden — bringing every open-box and refurbished deal into one place. It's where my interest in sustainability, operations and building something from nothing all come together.

Visit Refyndo

Credentials

Master of Philosophy — Food Safety and Quality Management

Forman Christian College — 2020 – 2022

Doctor of Dietetics and Nutrition Science

University of Lahore — 2015 – 2020

(5-year undergraduate degree, Pakistan)

Languages

  • EnglishFull Professional
  • UrduNative / Bilingual
  • SwedishElementary (actively improving)

The journey

    • Co-founded Refyndo, Sweden's first open-box e-commerce marketplace — taking it from concept to live launch and running day-to-day operations.
    • Coordinate suppliers, product listings and inventory, keeping the catalogue accurate and every offer live and in-stock.
    • Source open-box and refurbished deals and onboard retailer offers, growing the catalogue as the platform scales.
    • Manage partner communication and prioritise work across the founding team, owning tasks from operations to customer experience.
    • Managed the material-ordering flow end to end — checked production plans against ERP stock, created material orders, and flagged discrepancies to the team immediately.
    • Led weekly physical inventory counts across warehouse and production areas, reconciling counted stock against ERP records and investigating differences to find the root cause.
    • Monitored consumable material levels against minimum stock, and raised purchase requests before shortages could reach production.
    • Investigated and documented raw material deviations — missing, wrong, or damaged material — and tracked corrective actions through to close.
    • Prepared and reviewed the monthly stock report: current stock, ERP-vs-physical accuracy, shortages, and consumption analysis.
    • Acted as the connecting point between Production, Warehouse, Purchasing and Management to keep material, quantity and timing aligned.
    • Coordinated across departments to communicate accurate product data and meet packaging deadlines.
    • Prepared and maintained product documentation and specifications for labelling and compliance.
    • Performed nutritional analysis of food products, including macro- and micronutrients.
    • Supported marketing and product development with clear, consumer-ready information.
    • Carried out food-safety inspections of businesses to ensure compliance with hygiene laws and standards.
    • Documented inspection findings and reported critical issues, coordinating corrective actions with staff.
    • Monitored food production, storage and handling to prevent contamination and protect public health.
    • Advised operators on safe practices and guided practical improvements on site.

Research & curiosity

Academic research projects from my studies — evidence of how I like to dig into a question, not ongoing professional work.

  1. Screened a panel of herbal and plant-based extracts for their ability to inhibit urease — an enzyme implicated in H. pylori infection, kidney stones and certain liver conditions. Part of the wider search for gentler, plant-derived alternatives to the synthetic urease inhibitors currently used to manage urease-linked conditions.

  2. Reviewed the evidence behind chicory's reputation as a functional food — its inulin fibre content, polyphenol profile, and the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity reported in the literature — and how those properties translate into everyday dietary use.

  3. Surveyed dietary patterns and everyday eating habits among children aged 7–14 — meal frequency, food-group balance and common junk-food substitutions — the kind of groundwork later studies build on when designing school nutrition programmes.

Writing

The Journal

Alongside the building, I write — plain-language pieces on the science behind what we eat: nutrition, food science, safety and quality.

Read the Journal →