Keeping it in the family: How these Emirati sisters turned baby food recipes into a business

When key business pillars such as investment guidance, financial support, product expertise, and digital marketing come together under one roof—especially with family support—it creates a strong foundation for success. The synergy of shared vision and collective strengths can drive a business forward in ways that are both efficient and deeply personal. Dubai-based Emirati sisters Qadreya and Maitha Al Awadhi prove that family ties can be the backbone of entrepreneurial success.

Together, they are building Bumblebee, a Dubai-registered business offering freshly made, frozen food for babies and toddlers aged six months to six years. The brand’s menu has been carefully developed by a peadiatric nutritionist and a certified chef for Bumblebee. The brand sources its ingredients locally and organically when possible, coupled with hormone-free and grass-fed protein. Bumblebee’s food is cooked from scratch, including sauces, and the menu is changed every month. The brand aims to offer various new flavours and textures to every meal to cater to every child’s needs — even the picky eaters!

The inspiration for Bumblebee came when Qadreya noticed a lack of healthy meal options for a friend’s weaning child, prompting her to create an alternative for mothers seeking nutritious baby food.What started as a solo venture for 29-year-old Qadreya, a finance and accounting graduate, has blossomed into a family-supported enterprise with a standout innovation: the world’s first bone broth cookies for kids, launched in collaboration with The Broth Lab.

Qadreya, founder and CEO, credits her father — an entrepreneur himself — for shaping her business acumen. From teaching her to invest in the stock market at 16 to guiding her away from overspending on flashy equipment in Bumblebee’s early days, his mentorship has been invaluable.Sharing her past experiences, Qadreya recalls how her father changed her entrepreneurial aspirations even after she opened her initial self-funded Dh150,000 business.

“Even though I had already known not to spend too much too fast when I first opened my business, the reality was different — I got excited, and all I wanted to do was spend money on the biggest, most professional equipment, which my father reminded me against. I am very grateful for his constant guidance, or else I would have spread the business too thin and went over budget years ago,” she said.

The family support poured in when various members were offering their help. For example, my father provided financial guidance, my mother provided food texture guidance, and my sister helped me with event coordination and social media management.”

Qadreya Al Awadhi

Qadreya also recalls that she actually did not intend to start a business within the family, but when she first started, she was completely alone. “The family support poured in when various members were offering their help. For example, my father provided financial guidance, my mother provided food texture guidance, and my sister helped me with event coordination and social media management. Maitha managed events and social media, growing Bumblebee’s online following from 10 to over 5,000. It was more of a thing that naturally happened over time, as they were very kind to offer their support in the early days,” she added.

Maitha, junior social media manager for Bumblebee, joined her sister’s journey while still in college, gaining hands-on business experience. “Working with my sister was a good learning experience that I needed. I watched it grow to become a leading baby food business in the UAE,” said the 23-year-old, degree holder in finance and accounting. Maitha currently, balances a day job, and continues to connect with Bumblebee’s community through creative social media posts. Qadreya admits that having a day job keeps her extremely busy, and she had to rope Maitha to handle the digital aspect of the business.

“I have a day job that keeps me busy during the day, so my sister Maitha offered to help me attend events on my behalf to connect with Mum and give a face to the brand. With her being younger and more tech-savvy, I asked her to handle the social media page,” said Qadreya. The UAE’s supportive ecosystem has also fuelled the success of the siblings. Qadreya highlights the government programmes and market opportunities that helped her unique concept—frozen baby food — thrive. “Being the first to offer this, and now launching bone broth cookies, sets us apart,” she says. What began as a solo passion has naturally evolved into a family affair, blending innovation with tradition in the heart of Dubai.