How Dubai-born Livsmart is taking over the health food space

Dubai: From protein-packed snacks to sugar-free desserts, the Gulf’s food culture is undergoing a quiet revolution — one where health is just as important as flavour. A new wave of conscious consumers are reshaping the supermarket shelves and café menus across the UAE driving demand for smarter, cleaner and more functional foods.

At the center of this movement in the UAE is Livsmart, a Dubai-born brand that has quickly built a reputation for products that balance health, taste, and affordability.

Founded during the pandemic, Livsmart emerged from a simple but universal need: better alternatives to everyday staples. For founder Sahil Advani, the starting point was rethinking nutrition in our daily lives.

“Consumers today are looking for smarter choices — whether it’s low-carb or low calorie options, sugar-free alternatives or even functional foods that serve multiple health benefits in a single product. Our role at Livsmart is to bring innovative healthy food options to everyday life in a way that feels simple, accessible, and smart,” says Advani.

The company’s first launch, its monk fruit sweetener, set the tone. Unlike many artificial substitutes, monk fruit extract delivers natural sweetness without raising blood sugar levels, making it an attractive option for diabetics, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone cutting back on refined sugar.

The product quickly gained traction, opening the door for Livsmart to explore other categories where healthier swaps were lacking.With the sweeteners' success, Livsmart began developing products that addressed everyday eating habits.

One standout is its Shirataki range — rice, noodles and pasta made from the Konjac plant. Low in carbs and calories but high in fibre, they became a guilt-free option for consumers trying to balance their love for traditional staples with wellness goals.

Another early success was Organic Matcha, launched at a time when the green tea powder was still unfamiliar to many in the UAE. Within months of its debut, it became Amazon.ae’s best-selling matcha product — owing to its premium quality, authentic taste, and affordable pricing, reflecting a broader global trend toward superfoods that blend taste with functionality.

Most recently, the brand turned its attention to snacking — one of the most dynamic food categories worldwide. Its Smart Snacks line debuted with roasted edamame in two delicious flavours, positioning the legume as a protein-packed, plant-based alternative to conventional chips or nuts. The idea was simple: make snacking fun and flavourful, but also healthy enough to eat daily.

Livsmart’s timing has been strategic. The UAE has seen a surge in health awareness, accelerated by the pandemic and reinforced by government-led initiatives promoting active lifestyles. Market research shows that consumers in the Gulf are increasingly willing to spend more on products that align with their health and fitness goals.

The challenge, however, has often been accessibility. Imported health foods can be expensive, niche, or inconsistent in quality. Livsmart positioned itself to bridge that gap: homegrown, affordable, and uncompromising on standards.

Today, Livsmart’s portfolio is stocked on the shelves of Union Coop, Choithrams, Grandiose, Geant, and Al Maya, and across online retailers such as Amazon, Noon, Talabat, and Kibsons and many more. By being present in both traditional supermarkets and digital-first platforms, the brand has managed to stay top of mind for a wide consumer base.

But Livsmart’s ambitions extend well beyond the UAE. In just a few years, the brand has expanded into Oman and Qatar and is preparing to enter Saudi Arabia — the Gulf’s largest consumer market. Regional expansion is only the first step, with longer-term plans to reach international audiences who are equally hungry for smarter food choices.

“Consumers everywhere are asking for healthier options that still deliver on flavor and experience,” notes Advani. “That’s exactly what we aim to provide.”

What makes Livsmart’s story compelling is not just its product lineup, but its role in shaping a wider conversation around mindful eating. By blending global superfood trends with regional consumer habits, it has created a model that feels both aspirational and approachable.

For Dubai, which is positioning itself as a hub for wellness and innovation, Livsmart is a strong case study of how local entrepreneurship can tap into global megatrends. Its journey reflects the growing maturity of the UAE’s F&B sector, where health is no longer treated as an afterthought but as a core driver of growth.

As Livsmart looks ahead, the roadmap includes constant innovation, more product categories, and deeper regional expansion. But the brand’s underlying philosophy remains consistent: eating well should never mean sacrificing flavor, convenience, or affordability.

For many consumers, it’s not just about trying a new product — it’s about joining a movement toward smarter living.