How Dubai resident is changing breakfast norms with healthy oatmeal options

Yara Mersi, 23, cultivated a habit of enjoying overnight oats for breakfast from her early years—a routine that persisted through high school and extended to her time at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. There, she not only began each day with a brisk run but also took on the role of captain for the basketball team.

“Our coach emphasised the importance of fuelling up, and my go-to was my homemade oat mix, enriched with over 20 grams of protein, superfoods, and fibre. Intrigued, my teachers and classmates often inquired, eventually developing a fondness for it themselves.”

Today, Yara's personal concoction is disrupting the breakfast industry in the UAE, captivating the taste buds of thousands who swear by Oatful. The Dubai-based Lebanese-American entrepreneur proudly touts it as the region's first high-protein, pre-made overnight oats.

However, Yara perceives her brainchild, conceived during the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic, not merely as a consumer-packaged goods (CPG) enterprise. “We embody a community with a heart and soul, reintroducing joy into eating and pioneering the world's inaugural nutritionally complete oatmeal. Our aim is to bring back the excitement to the most important meal of the day and bridge the gap between health and convenience.”

There are eight flavours available, including dark chocolate, cereal milk, vanilla beans, salted caramel, and choco peanut butter, banana, chocolate brownie, carrot cake and strawberry accompanied by two vegan options. Currently available at 15 Spinneys stores, these products will soon be found at Enoc, Zoom and Adnoc stores as well.

Introducing a cutting-edge technology known as High Pressure Processing (HPP), Yara Mersi has revolutionised the preservation of her ready-to-eat products. This innovative method eradicates food spoilage microorganisms, ensuring a 30-day shelf life without compromising nutrition or taste.

“We are a health-focused company, so there is no heat, no pasteurisation, no preservatives, no artificial flavours, or colours," she explained while demonstrating the process at a state-of-the-art facility in Dubai Silicon Oasis.

Tracing her journey, Yara recalled, "Ever since I was little, I've been fascinated by nutrition. I was amazed at how you could alter the way you felt through the foods you ate. I was obsessed with oats. However, the make-it-yourself version required too much time to prepare. At the supermarket, almost every oatmeal in the aisle is stuck in that old paradigm of empty carbs, sugars, and cheap ingredients, all with the same bland flavours.”

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