Bahrain-founded foodtech platform Lola has raised $3 million in a seed round led by Vision Ventures. The D2C company, which offers a digital platform for designing and ordering custom cakes, is targeting regional expansion with the new capital.
Quick Facts
- Funding: $3 million seed round.
- Lead Investor: Vision Ventures.
- Key Investors: Aljazira Capital, Seedra Ventures, Plus VC.
- Goal: Launch a central production facility in Dammam.
Fixing the Custom Cake Conundrum
Founded in 2023 by serial entrepreneur Othman Janahi, Lola was created to solve a common frustration: the complicated and often disappointing process of ordering a custom cake. The platform replaces the back-and-forth communication with bakeries with a seamless digital experience where users can see, shape, and refine their cake design directly.
What started in Bahrain quickly found a strong market fit, prompting rapid expansion into Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait. This follows a $1.3 million pre-seed round closed in February 2025, which included Plus VC and Vision Ventures.
From Local Bakeries to Centralised Production
Initially, Lola relied on a network of local bakeries to fulfill orders, a model that allowed for quick market entry but came with operational limitations. The new funding is set to change that by financing the development of a central production facility in Dammam.
This new hub will work in tandem with a network of “cloud bakeries” in key cities. The hybrid model is designed to give Lola greater control over quality and consistency while efficiently scaling its operations across the region.
Investor Confidence in a $9.5B Market
The investment reflects strong confidence in Lola’s ability to digitize a significant segment of the food and beverage industry, which investors note is a market valued at $9.5 billion in 2025 and projected to exceed $12 billion by 2030.
Kais Al Essa, Founding Partner and CEO of Vision Ventures, commented, “We all experience pain trying to describe how we want our cake to look for an occasion, only to get something totally different. Lola solves this issue through technology. Othman and his team showed courage and perfect execution by being able to scale Lola to where it is today.”
Hasan Haider, Founder and Managing Partner at Plus VC, added, “Lola is setting a new benchmark in the market by leveraging technology to streamline a traditionally fragmented industry, delivering a seamless and reliable customer experience that is clearly resonating with users.”
Beyond Cakes: Building a Celebration Platform
According to founder Othman Janahi, the vision for Lola extends beyond confectionery. The platform aims to become a comprehensive service for celebrations, eventually incorporating gifting, decorations, and other event-related needs.
“What we’re building at Lola goes far beyond cakes, it’s a new way to create and experience celebrations,” said Janahi. “This funding allows us to scale that vision, strengthen our infrastructure, and maintain full control over the customer experience.”
About Lola
Founded in 2023 by Othman Janahi, Lola is a D2C foodtech platform that allows users to digitally design, customize, and order cakes. The company operates across Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait with a mission to simplify and elevate the celebration experience.
Source: Wamda
