- June 9, 2022
EPISODE #
#37 Sara Chemmaa on how a tantrum inspired her entrepreneurial journey
About this episode
Sara Chemmaa started her career in investment banking and then took on roles in consulting with McKinsey & Co and in investing in tech startups with MBC Ventures. Working with entrepreneurs and witnessing their challenges first hand led Sara to believe that she’ll never become one!
When Sara became a mother and had to deal with a fussy eater, Sara did something intuitive which is try to solve a problem for her own child. Little did she know that thousands of parents out there were facing similar challenges when feeding their children.
Citron.ae was born in 2017 and quickly became a mealtime favorite brand retailing in the likes of Harrods in London and Galeries Lafayette in Paris. Today Citron offers over 200 products and sells in over 20 countries.
In this conversation we cover stumbling into entrepreneurship, manufacturing products, building a team, fundraising for a non-tech startup and more.
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guest profile
Sara Chemmaa
Sara Chemmaa is the CEO and Founder of Citron, a Dubai based brand that creates and supplies innovative mealtime products to families. Inspired by her own children’s needs, Sara founded Citron in 2017 after she identified a clear need in the market for stylish and leakproof lunchboxes.
Since launch, the brand has grown to include over 200 products including a sustainable range, a bamboo range and a range specifically designed for teenagers. Citron has gone on to dominate the lunchbox and back to school market of the GCC, selling over 500,000 products, and winning a number of awards.
2021 has seen Sara secure both a significant distribution partnership for Citron, enabling the brand to have greater reach globally and Pre-Series A Funding from Arzan VC, as the first female founded brand within their portfolio.
Previously Sara co-headed MBC Ventures and was a senior team member of MBC Group Strategy & investment team in Dubai. Prior to this she worked as a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company and was an investment banker with Societe Generale. Sara holds an MSc in Economics and Finance.