Riwa Khan and Zahen Khan. Photo: Rahul Gajjar

Riwa Khan's journey to discover the ultimate dessert led her to establish the ice cream brand Majama in the UAE. Her brother, Zahen Khan, later joined the venture. The Dubai-based siblings have combined vision, creativity, finance, operations, and strategy to create a homegrown brand that produces creamy, dairy-free ice cream in a range of unique flavors. The Dubai-based company is continuously innovating its product line.

Riwa, the 30-year-old founder and brand director of Majama, shared that her quest for the perfect sweet treat sparked her journey. She recalls struggling to find desserts made from natural ingredients. Her search began during her time in London for her studies, where she noticed the negative impact of processed foods, gluten, and dairy on her health. Eliminating these from her diet only intensified her cravings for dessert, despite London's abundance of healthy dessert options, none of which quite satisfied her.

This led Riwa to experiment in her kitchen, where she began creating various recipes. To her delight, and that of her family and friends, these creations were a hit. Riwa was pleasantly surprised to find that desserts made with natural ingredients could not only match but often surpass the taste of processed ones.

"I am a passionate foodie with a preference for all things natural and whole. In 2012, I went through a health crisis where my digestion and immunity severely deteriorated. I learned that gluten, dairy, and refined sugars in my diet were causing me significant distress. If it weren't for my personal health journey, I wouldn't be where I am today. Besides food and health, I love painting and have been doing so since I was six. It has been a great joy learning how to channel my creative and artistic nature through Majama," said Riwa, who moved to Dubai when she was two and studied both Fine Art and Business Management in London.

She and her brother credit the UAE for their success. Riwa explained: "When Majama first launched, there weren't many free-from and alternative products in the market. And whatever was available was imported. Our products are proudly made in the UAE and it has been a significant factor in our success."

When asked about what inspired the idea of starting a business, Riwa shared that she always had a strong independent spirit and knew from a young age that she wanted to do her own thing. "It was just a matter of time until I got the right idea. Zahen and I have extremely complementary skill sets. My strength lies in creativity and vision, whereas Zahen is excellent with finance, operations, and strategy. He's always been a big fan of the products I've made, so as the business evolved, it made sense for him to join full-time and lead the company into greater expansion and growth," said Riwa.

Zahen studied Finance and History at NYU Stern School of Business and went on to work for tech startups in New York and Bengaluru in sales, business development, and marketing. He then worked at General Motors in the Middle East, as part of its Cadillac team. After leaving that role, he joined Majama full-time last year, where he heads strategy and operations.

"Initially, Riwa was running Majama independently and I always supported her from the sidelines. When we saw the growth and customer reaction, I decided to join full-time," said Zahen.

"Our parents moved to the UAE when we were one and two years old. I grew up here and it's been amazing to watch its transformation over the years. I truly believe it's a great place to do business and though it can be tough when you're starting out, if you prove yourself in the market, the policies and regulations are designed to help you succeed," added 32-year-old Zahen.

The siblings draw inspiration from their grandfather, Afzal Khan. Riwa said: "My entrepreneurial aspirations were deeply influenced by my grandfather as he was the first person in our family to become an entrepreneur, establishing a successful business selling generators in Mumbai in the 1950s. I loved hearing stories of how he would run his business and all the celebrities he would supply his generators to."

Zahen added: "My grandfather was a 'serial entrepreneur' before it was a thing. He was full of ideas and started many businesses in his life, some of which still exist in modern forms today."

Their father, Adil Khan, was also an influence. Riwa said: "I've watched my father excel in his career all my life, and he has always maintained a self-assured, quietly confident demeanor, which I aspire to achieve. He has always taught me to be the best I can be in whatever it is I choose to do. And till today, it remains one of my greatest motivators."

While working with a sibling can present challenges, Riwa said, "Zahen and I aren't just siblings, but best friends. It makes everything so much more fun, with many moments of laughter during even the hardest of times. Trust is also equally important. Working with a family member can mean you always have each other's best interests at heart. And if there's ever any misunderstandings, always be sure to communicate."

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