23 June 2016 Dubai: Like millions of people at the grocery store, the Kabbabe family struggled to find a breakfast cereal that was free from fillers and contained all natural ingredients. They realized that they needed to take matters into their own hands if they wanted to start everyday on a healthy note. Using his own savings, he started his own company, mix&muesli, an online platform that allows customers to tailor their own cereal mixes. Now, after six months in operation the company offers a choice of 60 ingredients, which results in over 100 million mix choices.
"We started buying raw oats and adding nuts and fruits. But we felt like it was a big hassle so that's when the idea started to develop," Bassel Kabbabe, founder of mix&muesli, told Zawya in an interview in Dubai.
The online firm caters to people's different dietary needs and all of the muesli bases and pre-mixes have been designed by the company's in-house nutritionist, Maya Kobeissi. "We offer many options including low fat, antioxidants, sugar free, energy boosters that can be eaten as a snack during the day and fitness fuel for gym-goers," Bassel said.
Kabbabe previously worked as an executive at a construction firm but quit the corporate world to pursue his passion of developing mix&muesli. He takes direct responsibility for the branding and marketing of the company on social media, but also promotes the product during the winter months at Ripe Market in Zabeel Park and takes part in corporate events across Dubai.
"We were a part of HSBC as well as Middlesex University's Wellness Day." Bassel added that mix&muesli have recently partnered with gym company Tribe Fitness and are currently finalising a number of other potential deals. "We also partnered with Emirates and Dubai Airports as part of their loyalty program." In addition to this, the company is tackling the corporate scene in the hope of proving there is an alternative healthy breakfast option available.
Looking outside the UAE
Bassel aims to sources all of mix&muesli's ingredients locally and is working on expanding the brand throughout the rest of the United Arab Emirates. "We're also looking to expand throughout the rest of the GCC [Gulf Cooperative Council] and then to countries all around the region."
During summer, the company will be adding two more crunchy mixes and according to Bassel "we're working on a healthy granola with no refined sugar as well as introducing oat porridge." The company has many plans for new products to be released at the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017 but, for the moment, they are keeping quiet on what they have in store next for residents looking for a healthy alternative to traditional breakfast cereal options.
>
Bassel Kabbabe - Co-founder of mix&muesli. Image supplied by mix&muesli.
