"What is a protein bar?" Eve asks with a grin. “Something gym goers usually snack on”, came flying out my knee-jerk answer. And that’s exactly why 19-year-old Eve Heinz started Linafsi — because you and I think protein bars are a snack just for gym buffs. Although protein bars are far from a new innovation and face no dearth of variety in Dubai, Eve’s interest in health and wellness led her to the discovery that most protein bar aisles in supermarkets were filled with global brands that sold cookie-cutter flavours – there was no element of the UAE’s unique palette, culture, or demographic diversity reflected in their offerings.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
Before launching her own brand, Eve interned at Anona, a private German label, where she learned both the science and logistics of producing protein bars. Through this experience, she discovered several industry trends and lifestyle shifts, such as an increasing demand for crispy textures, preference for plant-based bars and a dislike toward chewy bars. All of these findings were imperative to the development of Linafsi’s three signature flavours; Mango Lassi, Butterscotch and Coconut Milk Chocolate.
"I’d say my learnings came from two different directions. On one side, it was about the technical aspects—how to actually make a protein bar. For instance, understanding how something made on a small scale in a lab translates to large-scale production, which ingredients to use, and why they’re chosen.
On the other side, it was about understanding trends and the market. That’s why we focused on creating a crispy texture and avoiding artificial sweeteners, so there’s no aftertaste. We also wanted to localize the flavors to reflect this region, offering something unique that you won’t find anywhere else."
Starting a small business is an uphill task for anyone, and even more so for a young woman just stepping into adulthood. However, Eve viewed this challenge from a unique perspective, opining that businesses put you through the wringer regardless of age and experience, mettle being the real denominator.
“Starting a business inherently comes with challenges, especially when you’re balancing multiple roles. When you’re bootstrapping and just starting out, you’re taking on marketing, logistics, product development—you’re juggling so many responsibilities, which requires a lot of adaptability. Another big challenge is managing things outside your control. There are always changing market dynamics, fluctuations in raw material costs, and unexpected hurdles. Things happen that you don’t have direct control over. It’s about asking yourself, ‘Once this challenge comes up, how can I approach it with a growth mindset? What are the solutions I can implement to overcome it?’”
Having navigated two years of cliffs and troughs, Eve suggests that the most important step of creating a sustainable business model is building a network of professionals and gathering advice from people who have been there, done that. Initially, this was a struggle for the teen, as most of her network were friends and acquaintances from school.
Her gateway into the world of professional relationships was the various networking groups and trade shows in Dubai. Eve attended several events such as The Hotel Show, Private Label Middle East, and the Dubai Muscle Show. She also joined groups such as Girls Who Walk. A significant moment in her entrepreneurial journey was an interaction with Mustafa Koita, Founder of Koita Foods.
"I actually met Mr. Koita from Koita Milk when he came to speak at my school, the American School of Dubai. He shared his journey of starting Koita, and afterward, I reached out to him on LinkedIn. Reaching out to people on LinkedIn can be a shot in the dark—you’re not guaranteed a response—but if you’re open to saying, 'I’d love to take you out for a coffee and learn from your experience,' many people are willing to spare a little time for that. That’s something you learn in business: you’re going to get a lot more 'nos' than 'yeses,' but every 'no' gets you closer to a 'yes.' It’s a valuable lesson, especially in business, where not every place will take your product, and not everyone you approach will want to meet with you. Learning to handle rejection is key."
THE PRODUCTION PROCESS
For product development, Linafsi tapped into the tropical taste buds of the region. Inspired by the refreshing summer drink lassi and a love for mango shared by several of the ethnicities that make up Dubai’s diverse cultural fabric, Linafsi’s signature launch was the Mango Lassi protein bar. This was soon followed by Coconut Milk Chocolate – a marriage between the fond nostalgia of Bounty and everyone’s omnipresent love for chocolate. The third offering, Butterscotch, is a balance between comfort and the caramel craze currently reigning over the city's food scene.
"The ideation process starts in your head and evolves into something that eventually reaches the market. For me, it began with creating a brief—defining the vision for the product, identifying the ingredients we wanted to use, and setting the nutritional values we were aiming for. It’s about building a solid plan first. Then, you go through rounds of sampling and testing, back and forth, to strike the right balance—it has to taste good while maintaining its nutritional value.
Once that’s perfected, you move on to packaging and the production side of things. After finalizing everything in R&D, it’s all about distribution, marketing the product, and getting it out there for people to try."
Linafsi’s product development is guided by an R&D team, building on Eve’s understanding that large-scale production with a 9 to 12-month shelf life is a far cry from experimenting with recipes in her family’s kitchen. The process is a lot of trial and error, impacted by economic factors such as price fluctuations and procurement bottlenecks. The young entrepreneur aspires to find a viable balance between sourcing premium ingredients and keeping her products accessible, mindful of the typically premium pricing of protein bars.
The goal is to make healthier snacking accessible, but scaling up production comes with challenges. For example, the procurement of certain raw materials might not be feasible on a larger scale. Take cacao prices, for instance—when they go up, it’s completely out of your control, but you still don’t want to pass that cost on to the end consumer. It’s about finding a balance and making it work.
WHY CHOOSE LINAFSI?
What makes one pick Linafsi off the protein bar rack? These well-balanced, healthy snacks for people on the go contain 15g of protein per bar, oats for healthy carbs, and nuts for healthy fats. For a little extra fun and fiber, the Mango Lassi bar also has real pieces of fruit!
At the core of Linafsi’s identity is a quest to rebrand protein bars as a snack for everyone, not just gym-goers; whether you’re a busy mom skipping breakfast, an office worker without time for lunch, or a student buried in books inside a library, Eve wants Linafsi to be your go-to nourishment. The brand is also focused on creating a satiating product that feels more like a meal and less like a sweet treat. This philosophy is also reflected in the packaging of Linafsi bars,
For us, texture and flavor are everything. Most protein bars are these softer, layered bars with caramel, sprinkles, and double chocolate coatings. And look, there’s nothing wrong with that—it’s just a different market. I want people to open a bar and actually see the fruit pieces, the almonds, the oats—all the whole food ingredients we’ve used. I don’t know about you, but when I eat a bar with 16 layers of caramel, I start to question, ‘Is this really a better-for-me option? Is this actually healthy?’
BRAND IDENTITY AND TARGET AUDIENCE
Linafsi is an Arabic word meaning “for myself”. Eve, who wanted her brand to reflect the cultural identity of the UAE and the values of healthy nutrition, self-care and wellness, chose the name to appeal to a family audience across the board. Her wish is for Linafsi to become a trusted, household name in the country. As a health-conscious individual, she often struggled with a lack of trust in global confectionery brands selling healthy snacks.
I have a big family, so I always ask myself—would I take this home for them to eat? If I wouldn’t give it to my four-year-old brother, I’m not making it. That’s the goal: creating healthier snacking options families can trust, especially busy families. Honestly, I don’t know how much I trust a protein bar made by a global food brand that also makes candy bars. As someone health-conscious and into active living, the trust factor was always missing for me. With this brand, I wanted to change that. It’s like, hey, you know me—I’m Eve, and I’m making a healthier snack for you and your family.
Linafsi’s marketing strategy emphasizes availability and physical touchpoints. The in-store promotions at Choithram’s have been an integral part of this effort, and a significant proportion of customer feedback and input is collected through the grocery store chain. While Eve believes the best marketing is letting the product prove itself, she also invests in engaging social media content for Instagram.
PARTNERSHIPS AND DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS
Linafsi has made several strategic partnerships to bring the brand to its intended audience. You can find these colourful protein bars at Zayed International Airport, Choithram’s grocery stores, or the U-Pro sports complex. In the next phase of growth, Eve intends for the brand to branch out from these traditional hotspots – to hotels, spas and co-working spaces, venues that are not associated with protein bars but have a high demand for healthy snacking options. This marketing wakeup call came in the form of a chance encounter with FIVE Palm Jumeirah Hotel’s procurement team at the Dubai Muscle and Fitness show, who expressed an interest in having Linafsi bars at the hotel gym.
We noticed out sales were particularly good in the Choithram’s stores around business hubs. And then buyers from the FIVE Hotel on the Palm wanted our products for their hotel gym, when we met at the Dubai Muscle and Fitness show. That was a real eye-opener—why weren’t we focusing more on getting our products into offices and co-working spaces? There’s clearly a demand for healthier snacks, so why not make them easily accessible there? It was the first time I thought, maybe hotels with gyms and spas could be a great fit for our products. In a grocery store aisle, competition is fierce, but in these spaces, we could stand out.
GROWTH SO FAR
Every time Eve descends upon a Choithram’s outlet for in-store promotions, Linafsi sees a noticeable spike in sales. She regards in-store performance as a crucial metric, observing that the sales surge driven by promotions has remained consistent, without declining during intervals when promotions aren’t running. Linafsi has also adopted multiple online distribution channels apart from its own website, such as Deliveroo’s Quality Food Grocer and Amazon. The distribution strategy in play here is rather smart; a focus on creating reliable and lasting relationships with a singular major player in each segment, instead of crowding the operation with too many eggs in the same basket.
When it comes to promotions, I can’t be in six different grocery stores at once, so I’d rather try different things and see what works. I spread it out—let’s have a presence in a grocery store, then look at co-working spaces, hotels, maybe a Pilates or yoga studio. I’m testing different sectors instead of putting everything in one basket. It’s kind of like throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. If it works in a yoga studio, I’ll try more. It’s all about trial and error and finding what clicks.
CUSTOMER IS KING (OR QUEEN)
When Linafsi first entered the market with its Mango Lassi bars, they were sold in a six-pack with a difficult seal. Furthermore, the packaging was far from display-friendly. The team listened to complaints and feedback, relaunching the product with an easily accessible 12-pack, complemented by pastel, fruity packaging. The small change did wonders for the Mango Lassi bar’s popularity, according to Eve.
Linafsi will soon be launching an exciting new flavour to meet varied dietary requirements; a plant-based, allergen-free, dark chocolate sea salt bar! To Eve, this upcoming product is the culmination of all the customer feedback they’ve processed over the years, especially about dietary preferences.
HOW HARD ARE SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES?
In the city of Dubai, a conversation about FMCG cannot be had without discussing sustainability commitments. With the hospitality industry – key clientele for Linafsi – moving to eco-friendly suppliers and ditching the plastic, Eve’s team is actively conducting R&D for bio-degradable and recyclable packaging options. Hopefully, the brand will launch its latest offerings in biodegradable packaging!
A WORD OF ADVICE, FROM A FELLOW GEN-Z BUSINESSWOMAN
Throughout our conversation, what truly stood out to me was Eve’s self-awareness. From recognizing and actively working to strengthen her business blind spots to seeking out wisdom from all corners, the young woman had an aura of humility that tends to take one far in life. When asked about the secret to her composure, it was revealed that Eve’s strength came from her family, whose unconditional support has prevented her from slipping into the dark abyss most amateur entrepreneurs fall into. To those who lack the privilege of such support, she has a message of camaraderie;
And for people who aren't in that position, I would really recommend going out and, putting yourself out there with the networking groups, with reaching out to other founders, with, finding a community who is growth minded, who is also doing what you want to do. So, you can see that it's possible. And even, you know, if you're shy and in the stage where you like, I don't know if I want to go out there yet and network yet Maybe listen to pod casts where you can hear stories of founders who've done it, where you can, you know, get advice through somebody who's built a business, who's now, you know, a guest on a podcast.
AN EVOLUTION, AND A VISION
Looking back at her journey, Eve has found herself to have evolved into a more adaptable individual capable of strategic planning, taking control, and managing crises as they arise. Taking a dip in the entrepreneurial ocean has toughened her up and given her the confidence to take rejection with grace.
I can’t quite explain it, but it’s been a steep learning curve, like you said. It feels like a decade packed into a short time. When you’re in it, everything moves so fast—you’re growing and learning at such a pace. Day to day, it can feel like things are dragging, like progress is slow. But when I look back after two years, I realize just how much I’ve learned and accomplished, and that’s really rewarding.
Although Eve has no immediate plans for expansion and has focused her energies on growing the brand’s presence within UAE, she one day hopes to see her healthy products in the larger MENA region and India.
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