Every week, ILQ features a different Qatari startup in our ‘Startup of the Week’ segment. Qatar has some of the most creative, unique, and impactful startups in the region, and we cover them all across a variety of industries in Doha, from fashion and beauty, to food and dining, health, education, and more!

This time, we're giving the stage to Greenola -- Qatar's first naturally-flavoured granola and oat-based power snacks! Calling themselves a granola unlike any other, Greenola's power snacks are entirely baked with coconut oil and are sugar and salt-free!

Traditional granola, is a breakfast food consisting of rolled oats, brown sugar, nuts, and dried fruit, which is usually served with milk. What makes Greenola stand out is that it's purely homemade and has no preservatives. The two founders -- Qatari sisters Safia and Mashail Al-Naimi -- use organic ingredients filled with natural sources of energy and some love.

Safia and Mashail feel the local market is hungry for an extraordinary breakfast -- a light and on-the-go snack packed with all the necessary nutrients and can substituted for an ideal morning meal. "We don't want people to skip breakfast, as it's the most important meal of the day. With Greenola, they'll be equipped with the right amount of nutrients all day without the hassle of spending time cooking before going to work," they state. They also stress that they didn't seek help from either the Qatar Businesss Incubation Center (QBIC) or Digital Incubation Center (DIC) to establish the business.

"Our business is targeting a healthy and conscious lifestyle, which is something that does not go out of style and is always on trend. There is an increasing awareness of the healthy lifestyle and the living a balanced life in Qatar," said Safia. They're also aiming to become the first green exporter of local granola products in the global market.

Mashail emphasized the uniqueness of Greenola's offerings by citing their humble beginnings in the business: "We founded the venture and worked on a recipe together to naturally flavour what some people would consider an old and boring oat without adding any sugar or salt to enhance the taste. We work on everything from scratch and we're always the promoters of our business and we enjoy meeting people and getting to know them to build a community."

The young entrepreneurs also shared the history behind the name. They said that they're trying to ensure the premium quality of the products they're selling -- thus the name. "Also, the name is a twist on the usual word of granola, that some might dislike, just because they are sometimes forced to eat it for their diets."

Greenola has a booth available at the ongoing Torba Farmers Market -- a Qatar-based initiative that aims to deliver organic and locally-grown food and homemade products in Qatar Foundation. The sisters have nothing but good words for the initiative, commenting: "It's amazing, as it gives us a great opportunity to meet people and learn from other businesses. We can also meet our clients personally and connect with them on a personal level."

The founder sisters also recounted their brief but very memorable encounter with Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser when she visited their booth -- not just once, but twice! -- on Qatar National Sport Day. Mashail can't put into words how happy she felt when Her Highness complimented their startup and the products that she tried. "It was a moment that we will not forget for the rest of our lives," she exclaimed.

If you find passing by Qatar Foundation is too far a trek, you can always make an order via WhatsApp or through their Instagram account. Safia and Mashail are happy to deliver the goodness of their healthy products regularly to homes and offices.

Torba Farmers Market schedule:

Thursday: 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

To find out more about Greenola and to help support this unique startup, check out their details below!

Contact number: (+974) 6679-7088
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gree...

What are some of your favourite startups around Doha? Comment below! And don’t forget to give us a like and share!

(Images courtesy of Greenola Qatar's Instagram)

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Sonkie

Content writer

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