QADREYA AL AWADHI OF BUMBLEBEE BABY FOODS ON GENDER, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
Qadreya Al Awadhi, a dynamic 27-year-old Emirati entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Bumblebee Food, the UAE’s first homegrown brand offering ready-made frozen meal plans for babies and toddlers, speaks to Communicate.
When speaking about baby food, it seems instinctive that this sector must be saturated in the market, yet you found a gap and bridged it. Can you tell us more?
It didn't matter to me if it was filled with competition or if I was the only one because moms are very careful about their baby, especially in the early months. To me it was about building the trust slowly with moms to help them understand my mission for the brand, which is ultimately helping your child build a healthy and sustainable relationship with food. Luckily moms have responded positively and some of them even come back for their second and third baby !
Entrepreneurship often looks “fun” from the outside, but once one plunges into it, it's full of challenges. Can you share more about your experience as an entrepreneur in the UAE?
Have you ever felt that your gender has posed challenges or denied you opportunities in the market?
I do not believe that my gender has denied me opportunities in the UAE because it is such a diverse and collaborative environment that helps everybody succeed no matter your gender, religion, or nationality. However, that doesn't mean that being an entrepreneur isn't challenging. Some of the challenges I faced when I was just starting was starting from scratch. I did everything myself in the very beginning, the financials, the marketing, the recipe development and even the cooking. It took time to find the right experts and build the team but in the end I was able to build a great team. To this day, I still face challenges from changing market dynamics, and I don't think it will ever really stop as this is nature of being an entrepreneur. For example, some parents want a meal to be dairy free, gluten free, egg free, soy free, nut free, carb free, vegetarian.. etc; and to do all this in one meal is challenging as the recipes are limited but with our certified chefs and pediatric nutritionists, we were able to create various new meals to suit their needs.
With the holy month of Ramadan approaching, what specific offerings does Bumblebee have in store to accompany it?
For the Ramadan touch, we sweetened our Bone Broth cookies with dates and launched our energy bites that's filled dates and nuts, giving both you and your child the energy boost you need during this holy month. Of course, our Bone Broth Cookies are also rich in the nutrients one needs after fasting for 14 hours. Our whole range is focused on giving you and your child the maximum benefits one can get from food as it is easy to eat the 'wrong' things such as deep-fried foods and baked goods dipped in sugar syrup which end up depleting the natural nutrients in your body.
Partnering with The Broth Lab has elevated Bumblebee. Can you share more about this strategic move?
Our Bone Broth Cookies for kids are the first in the entire world. We expertly crafted those cookies using The Broth Lab’s Mini Moo range to ensure optimum nutrition in those cookies. They are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, antioxidants and are free from any salt, sugar, or preservatives. We are very proud to be the first in the whole world as we continue to innovate and make Bumblebee a bold and gourmet experience for your child.
