Fruit, feelings, flavour: Inside Dubai’s most deliciously human dessert brand

At Tutti Frutti, there are no factories, no formulas, just fruit, feeling, and a WhatsApp number that might connect you to Capucine, her husband, or their kids.

In a city addicted to hyper-luxury and next-gen tech, Capucine of Tutti Frutti, the founder of Dubai’s beloved sorbet atelier, is doing something radical: making things slowly.

“We’re not in the business of frozen treats,” says Capucine. “We craft frozen fruit experiences.” In a world where innovation often translates to automation, she and her small team have decided to keep it handmade, seasonal, and deeply personal. “We don’t do products. We do creations.”

The artisanal label - widely referred to as the UAE’s only frozen fruit artisan - has become a cult favourite among dessert lovers who want less sugar, more soul. Every sorbet is made by hand, from fruit sourced obsessively through local farms and trusted suppliers across the region. “We’ve worked with figs that came in still warm from the sun,” says Capucine. “A Saudi mango that made me gasp when I opened the box. These fruits come with stories, and we just try to honour them.”

You won’t find a customer service chatbot on their site. “Our boutique is WhatsApp,” she laughs. “That’s where the magic happens. You might end up chatting with me, or my husband, or even our chef, depending on the hour.” It’s a far cry from the slick, impersonal UX of most F&B brands. “There’s no script. We listen, we recommend, we remember your favourites. We’re more old-school than trendy - but our clients love that.”

Even the visuals - think sorbets nestled in real citrus peels, platters resembling edible Pantone charts are handmade with intention. “Our photographer isn’t just someone with a nice camera,” says Capucine. “He’s an artisan too. Sensitive to the mood of each fruit. Every shoot is a quiet collaboration.”

The first sorbet she ever made was Mango. “In our kitchen. With my husband and our three kids. Sticky fingers, loud laughter, spoon wars… it was a mess and a marvel,” Capucine remembers. “That first batch tasted like pride, chaos, and pure family joy.”

Since then, the recipe has been refined. “Today’s mango is sleeker. More elegant. Less sugar, more nuance. It’s got better shoes and maybe a touch of Chanel No. 5. But it still has that same spirit - just grown up.”

Ask her about her most challenging ingredient and she doesn’t hesitate: “Fruit in general keeps us on our toes - it’s alive, unpredictable, and refuses to behave like a uniform ingredient.”

She compares the process to a dialogue with nature. “One day a mandarin is sweet and sunny, the next it’s moody and acidic. The same fig will act completely differently if it’s from the UAE or from Saudi. And it’ll change again next week. There’s no final recipe, just constant adaptation.”

Their sorbets are minimalist by design: fruit, water, a whisper of sugar, and a natural stabiliser. “If the fruit doesn’t shine, the sorbet falls flat,” says Capucine. “That’s the thrill. You’re never in control - and that’s okay.”

Tutti Frutti’s flavours evoke more than just taste, they unlock memories. “We chase the real flavour of fruit - not the idea of it. That’s where memories hide,” Capucine says.

Some customers try the lemon and are transported to a garden in Beirut, or a childhood trip to Abu Dhabi. “Personally, lemon and orange teleport me back to Paris in the 90s,” she shares. “Those curious frozen fruits served in their own peels. Industrial, sure, but they planted a seed.”

Dubai is a collision of tastes and traditions, but the brand’s ethos is rooted in generosity.

Though she trained in France and describes her palate as “gram-focused and obsessive,” the soul of Tutti Frutti is Arabic. “This brand is a love letter to hospitality. To sharing and that beautiful moment when someone says, ‘Try this one - you’ll love it.’”

She originally imagined Tutti Frutti in individual cups. “One fruit, one portion. Neat, logical. But then I saw the magic of the platter. Put it on a table, and suddenly it’s a party. People trade flavours. They debate. There’s laughter, there’s chaos. It becomes a living thing.”

If you want to know how human this brand is, just scroll through their WhatsApp. “Someone once asked us, ‘Should I eat the skin of the strawberry sorbet?’ And we replied, ‘What would you do with a real strawberry?’”

One loyal customer even suggested they develop a gifting option. “We hadn’t thought of it,” Capucine admits. “But we listened. Now we offer these beautifully curated gift boxes - handwritten notes, sleek boxes, curated assortments. It’s not gifting, it’s emotional delivery.”

“The UAE isn’t short on luxury,” Capucine says. “But we believe in Brancusi’s philosophy: simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

That simplicity comes with extraordinary precision. “Have you ever tried removing the flesh from a pear without damaging the skin?” she asks. “It’s meditative. It’s art. Sometimes our creations are closer to sculpture than dessert.”

It’s not about excess. It’s about restraint. “Luxury today isn’t loud. It’s thoughtful. Confident. Quietly impeccable.”

Does she see Tutti Frutti as edible storytelling? “Not in the classic sense - there’s no beginning or end,” Capucine explains. “It’s more like a series of emotional chapters. A mango might remind you of a trip. A coconut might surprise you with how clean it tastes.”

“The story starts before you taste - with the shape, the colour, the scent. Then comes the flavour, and you’re transported. All we hope is that somewhere between the first glance and the last bite, you pause and ask yourself: ‘Which one is my favourite?’ That moment of hesitation... that’s the story.”

As the brand evolves, one thing remains: a deep sense of responsibility.

“We only select the most beautiful fruits,” says Capucine. “That’s part of our commitment to taste and texture. But behind every perfect scoop is a problem: many amazing fruits get rejected because they’re the wrong size or shape.”

That didn’t sit right with her. “We’ve been working quietly on a new concept - something that lets us honour every fruit, even the wonky ones. A creation that tastes just as incredible, but also tells a different story. Of imperfection. Of inclusion.”

It’s set to launch at the end of the year.

“Stay curious,” she smiles. “And stay close.”