Frío

What Frío does

Frío Sparkling Water LLC is a Dubai-headquartered, privately held beverage company that manufactures and sells flavored sparkling mineral water and better-for-you sodas under the "FRÍO" brand, with operations confined to the United Arab Emirates. The portfolio is anchored by two lines: a natural sparkling water range (Strawberry, Lemon, Mango, Coconut) and a soda-alternative range (Zero Cola, Cola Light, LUMII lemon-lime), all positioned as zero-sugar, zero-calorie, zero-artificial-sweetener products sweetened with monk fruit, packaged in 250ml aluminum cans, and certified Halal, Vegan, Gluten-Free, NON-GMO, and BPA-Free. The technical backbone is a proprietary five-stage water filtration process combined with natural fruit extracts, monk-fruit sweetener, and Himalayan Pink Salt, manufactured in-house at a Dubai facility.

Frío runs a hybrid go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (friosparklingwater.com with a Subscribe & Save subscription model at 15% off, plus free shipping thresholds within the UAE) with broad third-party distribution: major online marketplaces (Amazon.ae, Noon), quick-commerce (Noon Minutes), 500+ retail, fitness, and hospitality business partners (Barry's Bootcamp, CrossFit Alioth, Falcon Roasters, Watermelon Market), and high-visibility travel-retail outlets (Dubai International Airport F&B via Lagardère and HWH Hospitality Investments; Etihad Airways in-flight and wellbeing kits). Revenue is generated from one-time consumer purchases, recurring subscriptions, B2B wholesale, and travel-retail distribution through intermediaries; pricing is published in AED at roughly AED 112.80–126.50 per 24-can case (~AED 4.70–5.27 per 250ml can).

The company is founder-led by Rashed Al Mulla (a professional athlete who established the brand in 2018 to address gaps in transparent, low-sugar beverage options in the UAE), runs with a 1–10 person team including food scientists, designers, and marketers, and is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding, parent company, or subsidiary structure. Strategic emphasis is on local manufacturing aligned with the UAE National Food Security Strategy 2051, sustainability messaging (recyclable aluminum, ~75% can recycling rate), and brand-building through fitness, career, and industry events (Battle Cancer Dubai, Ru'ya Careers UAE 2024, Gulfood Manufacturing FoodTech Summit) alongside channel partnerships with major travel-retail distributors.

Name

Frío

Legal name

Frío Sparkling Water LLC

Website

https://frio.ae

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Frío is a Dubai-based, bootstrapped beverage company that manufactures and sells zero-sugar, monk-fruit-sweetened flavored sparkling waters and better-for-you sodas to UAE health-conscious consumers and B2B partners via DTC e-commerce, marketplaces, retail, hospitality, and travel-retail channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Better-for-you sparkling water and soda

NAICS

Bottled Water Manufacturing (312112), Soft Drink and Ice Manufacturing (31211)

SIC

Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)

akta.pro primary industry

Bottled Water (Still, Sparkling, Enhanced) (CRADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sparkling/Carbonated Bottled Water Production (AFAFACAE), Flavored/Enhanced Bottled Water Production (Essenced, Vitamin, Electrolyte) (AFAFACAF)

Keywords

• Flavoured sparkling water
• Better-for-you soda
• Zero sugar beverages
• Monk fruit sweetener
• Beverage manufacturing UAE

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Online sales through friosparklingwater.com with one-time purchases and subscription plans (Subscribe & Save 15% off every 2 or 4 weeks). Revenue generated from individual can sales, variety packs, and bundle purchases.
2. Wholesale and Distribution: B2B sales through distributors (DUBUY by DPW), marketplace listings (Noon, Amazon.ae), and direct supply to retailers, fitness studios, cafes, hotels, and hospitality businesses.
3. Travel Retail: Products sold through Etihad Airways flights and Dubai International Airport F&B outlets (Nutella Cafe, Got My FIX, Roti Bhai, Flour+Stone, Treehouse Juicery, Transept DXB, Grabb'it) via distribution partners Lagardère and HWH Hospitality Investments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Frío manufactures and sells naturally flavoured sparkling waters and a better-for-you soda line (Zero Cola, Cola Light, LUMII) sweetened with monk fruit and packaged in recyclable 250ml aluminium cans. All products are zero sugar, zero calorie, free from artificial sweeteners, and produced locally in Dubai. The portfolio is sold direct-to-consumer via the company's e-commerce store with a Subscribe & Save subscription and through retail, hospitality, fitness, airport and airline distribution channels across the UAE.

Product overview

FRÍO is a Dubai-based sparkling water and better-for-you soda brand positioned as a healthy hydration alternative. The product portfolio consists of two main lines: (1) FRÍO Natural Sparkling Mineral Water in four flavors (Strawberry, Lemon, Mango, Coconut), featuring naturally sourced ingredients, zero sugar, zero calories, and no artificial sweeteners; and (2) FRÍO Better-for-you Soda line including FRÍO Natural Zero Cola, FRÍO Cola Light, and FRÍO LUMII (lemon-lime), all sweetened with monk fruit and positioned as cleaner alternatives to conventional soft drinks. Products are sold in 250ml slim cans and available as individual flavors or in variety packs (Mix Pack, Flavoured Sparkling Water Variety Pack, and Better-for-you Soda Variety Pack). All products are manufactured locally in Dubai, packaged in eco-friendly aluminium cans, and are Halal certified, Vegan, Gluten-free, and NON-GMO verified.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FRÍO Natural Strawberry Sparkling Mineral Water Naturally flavoured sparkling water with strawberry taste, zero sugar, zero calories, no artificial sweeteners or preservatives, in 250ml slim aluminium cans. Sold direct-to-consumer and through retail/hospitality channels in the UAE.
• FRÍO Natural Lemon Sparkling Mineral Water Naturally flavoured sparkling water with real lemon taste, zero added sugars, no artificial sweeteners or preservatives, in 250ml slim aluminium cans. Sold direct-to-consumer and through retail/hospitality channels in the UAE.
• FRÍO Natural Coconut Sparkling Mineral Water Naturally flavoured sparkling water with coconut taste, zero added sugars and no artificial sweeteners, in 250ml slim aluminium cans. Sold direct-to-consumer and through retail/hospitality channels in the UAE.
• FRÍO Natural Mango Sparkling Mineral Water Naturally flavoured sparkling water with tropical mango flavour, zero calories, zero sugar, zero sweeteners, in slim aluminium cans. Sold direct-to-consumer and through retail/hospitality channels in the UAE.
• FRÍO Natural Zero Cola Better-for-you zero-soda made from natural plant-based ingredients, sweetened with monk fruit. Zero sugar, zero calories, no aspartame, sucralose or erythritol. Pack of 24 cans (250ml each). Targeted at consumers seeking a clean alternative to diet cola.
• FRÍO Cola Light Low-sugar cola with 58% less sugar and 43 calories per serving, naturally sweetened with monk fruit and free from artificial sweeteners or flavours. Sold in 250ml slim cans as a cleaner alternative to mainstream cola.
• FRÍO LUMII Lemon-lime zero-calorie soda naturally sweetened with monk fruit, with no aspartame, sucralose or artificial sweeteners/flavours. Delivers a clean, zesty lemon-lime taste as an alternative to conventional lemon-lime sodas, in 250ml slim cans.
• Mix Pack Customizable 24-can variety pack allowing buyers to select up to 4 flavours with 6 cans of each, across the LUMII, Cola Light, Zero Cola, Mango and Coconut options. Designed for trial and subscription onboarding.
• Variety Pack - Flavoured Sparkling Water Pre-curated variety pack of FRÍO's flavoured sparkling waters (Strawberry, Lemon, Mango, Coconut) in 250ml slim cans, for consumers who want a multi-flavour case.
• Variety Pack - Better-for-you Soda Pre-curated variety pack of FRÍO's better-for-you sodas (Zero Cola, Cola Light, LUMII) with up to 3 flavours selected, 6 cans of each. Targets consumers who want to sample or stock the soda line.

Quantifiable outcome

• 58% less sugar compared to regular cola
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Ru'ya, Careers UAE 2024 (Dubai World Trade Centre)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 September 2024FRÍO collaborated with Ru'ya Careers UAE 2024 to host 'Design Lab' competition, inviting Emirati students to design a new flavor and label. Expected attendance: 16,000+ visitors with 100+ organizations.
• NooncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023FRÍO products listed on UAE's homegrown online marketplace Noon, making products accessible to a broader consumer base through established e-commerce infrastructure. Also available via Noon Minutes quick delivery service.
• Noon MinutescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Quick 15-minute delivery partnership allowing consumers to receive FRÍO products rapidly through Noon's instant delivery service.
• Amazon.aecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022FRÍO Sparkling Water available on Amazon UAE (Amazon.ae) across Classic, Coconut, Grapefruit, Lemon, and Strawberry flavors.
• Lagardère Travel RetailcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLagardère S.A. (international group operating in 40+ countries) facilitated FRÍO's entry into Dubai International Airport, bringing the brand to travelers through F&B outlets.
• HWH Hospitality InvestmentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHWH Hospitality Investments (established 2012 in Dubai by Emirati entrepreneurs) brought FRÍO to multiple F&B concepts at Dubai International Airport, supporting small Dubai F&B businesses.
• Etihad AirwaysflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFRÍO Sparkling Water featured in exclusive Etihad wellbeing kits on inaugural flights and served during flights, extending brand reach internationally to Etihad passengers.
• Watermelon MarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHospitality industry supplier distributing FRÍO to restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality businesses.
• DUBUY by DPW (Dubai Trade)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale trading platform enabling B2B distribution of FRÍO products through Dubai Trade's digital procurement system.
• Gulfood Manufacturing FoodTech SummitflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerFounder Rashed Al Mulla spoke at the Gulfood Manufacturing FoodTech Summit, an industry-leading event dedicated to innovation in food production, to advocate for sustainable practices and FRÍO's mission.
• Battle Cancer DubaiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFRÍO participated as sponsor in Battle Cancer Dubai, a one-day endurance fundraiser combining fitness and cancer awareness, aligning with health-conscious brand positioning.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ugly Water: Premium canned sparkling water co-founded by a professional athlete (Von Miller), mirroring Frío's athlete-founder narrative and better-for-you positioning. Targets hydration for active consumers through DTC and on-premise fitness/hospitality channels.
• Olipop: US better-for-you soda brand using alternative sweeteners (e.g., stevia, monk fruit) and clean-label formulations to compete with mainstream sodas. Closest analog to Frío's Zero Cola/Cola Light line in terms of category and ingredient philosophy.
• Spindrift: US-based sparkling water brand built on real fruit and minimal ingredients—directly comparable to Frío's 'no artificial sweeteners, real fruit extracts' positioning. Both sell via D2C e-commerce, retail, and foodservice with similar premium pricing and clean-label storytelling.
• LaCroix: The category-defining US sparkling water brand. Directly comparable on product form (flavored sparkling water in cans), retail distribution model, and zero-sweetener positioning—Frío essentially targets a similar consumer with a UAE-localized version.

Broad incumbents

• AHA Sparkling Water (Coca-Cola): Coca-Cola's better-for-you flavored sparkling water—directly comparable flavor/format but backed by global CPG scale. Represents the incumbent threat to Frío's premium clean-label niche.
• Bubly (PepsiCo): Mass-market flavored sparkling water from PepsiCo with extensive global distribution. Competes with Frío on shelf in UAE supermarkets but at a lower price tier and with vastly superior marketing scale.
• Perrier (Nestlé Waters): Iconic global sparkling water brand with widespread MENA distribution in hospitality and retail—a benchmark for Frío's premium positioning, but with massive incumbent scale advantages.
• San Pellegrino (Nestlé Waters): Premium Italian sparkling water with flavored variants sold globally including across MENA hospitality. Occupies the premium-import segment Frío targets domestically with its 'local premium' positioning.

Regional players

• Aqua Monaco: Italian premium sparkling water brand with design-led packaging and hospitality/on-premise focus. Comparable to Frío in positioning (premium, stylized cans) and channel mix (hotels, restaurants), though operating in Europe rather than MENA.

Emerging players

• Waterdrop: D2C microdrink/sustainability-focused beverage brand using DTC subscriptions and clean-label messaging. Comparable on e-commerce subscription GTM and health-conscious positioning, though Waterdrop focuses on tablets rather than finished cans.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtiktok.com/@friolife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frio-sparkling-water
• Instagraminstagram.com/frio.life

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Frío