Interview with Mustafa Koita, Founder & CEO of Koita Foods

Entrepreneur Mustafa Y. Koita is the dynamic and fearless founder and CEO of Koita Foods  He started the company in 2013 in the UAE, on a mission to make healthy food more accessible to families in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA). His dedication to building a company around high-quality, healthy products without compromising taste has led this Dubai-based, homegrown brand to go global. Koita offers an extensive portfolio of milk products in 11 countries across the world, including the recent launch of its premium Italian plant-based milk line in the U.S.

The sheer lack of access to organic and healthful milk products in the MENASA region inspired Mustafa to take matters into his own hands. His journey to create Koita led him to Italy near Mt. Vesuvius, where the weathered and ash-infused soils yield the premium ingredients that give Koita milks their delicious, clean taste.  

Mustafa grew up in Chicago, where he obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) at Northern Illinois University focused on International Business. Prior to founding Koita Foods, he lived in Dubai for more than a decade, arriving there in 2005 to take on the Middle East national security and defense market. Previously, he held executive leadership roles at companies such as Boeing Defense Systems, L-1 Identity Solutions, and US Robotics. 

He is a member of the American Business Council (Dubai Chapter), Entrepreneurs Organization (EO-Dubai), as well as the Organic Trade Association (based in Washington, DC). 

In addition to several grocery chains and independent grocers, Koita milks are available on amazon.comVisit Koita’s website at koita.com and follow @koitafoods on Instagram and Facebook.

Interview questions:

Introduction | Can you provide an introduction to Koita Foods? Primary products, distribution, employees, annual revenue…

Early Years and the Path to Dubai | Your career included a variety of technology companies that ultimately lead you to Dubai where you worked for Boeing. Please provide an overview of your career and the decision to become an entrepreneur.

2013 | Koita was founded in 2013 in a free trade zone in Dubai. The company started as a private label producer. Tell us about the launch and the pivot to the organic food business.

Market Research | During this period, you conducted market research on the market for organics. When did you decide that there was a void in the market that Koita could fill?

Preparing for Launch | Finding the dairy that could meet your standards was a protracted search. Tell us about this part of the journey.

The Launch | How did you launch Koita Milk? What role did social media play?

2015 – A Year of Growth | How did your product line change in 2015? Who were the new members of the team?

2016 – Scale and Expansion | By the summer of 2016, Koita entered four new markets in the Middle East- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan. Tell us about the new markets. By the end of 2016, Koita broke even on total sales.

2017-2018 – Growth Accelerates | In 2017, e-commerce and HORECA (hotel, restaurant and catering) channels were introduced. What impact did these new channels have? What was fueling the growth in 2017 and 2018?

Hillebrand | Can you explain your relationship with Hillebrand?

United States | When did you decide to enter the United States? How did you establish a distribution plan for the United States?

Competition | In 2018, competitors entered the market. Who were the competitors? How did you respond?

2019 to Today | In 2018, Koita expanded into Africa and Asia. What were the implications for Koita? How did you prioritize the opportunities?

10 Years | Where do you see Koita in 10 years?

Connect with Mustafa on LinkedIn

Koita Foods is a family-run, minority-owned, international business. American expat Mustafa Koita, a dynamic and fearless entrepreneur raised in Chicago, founded the company in 2013 after moving to Dubai and discovering that healthy milk options were not available locally. Inspired by a genuine desire to help families eat healthier, the company sells organic, lactose-free and dairy-free milks at 1000+ retailers across 10 emerging markets spanning the Middle East and Asia. Now rolling out in the U.S., Koita’s line of premium, Italian plant-based milks is non-GMO, shelf stable and uniquely clean tasting. In addition to several grocery chains and independent grocers, Koita milks are available on amazon.comVisit Koita’s website at koita.com and follow @koitausa on Instagram and Facebook.

Recent News: https://www.koita.com/news/


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