The three-day event, which is held in collaboration with the Specialty Coffee Association, will feature coffee companies and brands from countries, including the US, Germany, Canada, Slovakia, Portugal, Ireland, Kuwait, Norway, Taiwan, Thailand, Pakistan, Iran, and Australia, among many others. There are seven national pavilions participating, which is double the number from the previous edition, with a strong presence from India, Myanmar, Rwanda, Uganda, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and El Salvador.

Khalid Al Hammadi, senior vice president of DXB LIVE, commented, “We take great pride in gathering numerous nations, businesses, brands, experts, and specialists in the coffee industry at this exhibition. We are confident that this event will serve as a significant opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their innovative products, services, and pioneering projects in this dynamic industry. Additionally, it will also provide a productive forum for interaction between exhibitors and visitors from various parts of the globe to exchange valuable insights, expertise, and innovations in the coffee sector. By bringing together industry players, pioneers, influencers, and senior employees under one roof, we are committed to developing the exhibition and strengthening its reputation. We are on constant pursuits to enhance its key role as an active and influential player in the development of the coffee sector locally, regionally, and globally.” 

The World of Coffee 2024 has signed a strategic partnership agreement with DMCC – Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, the world’s flagship free zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise – which, through its world-class facilities at DMCC Coffee Centre, provides a wide range of services for the entire coffee value chain, including temperature-controlled storage, value-add and commercial space, inbound/outbound logistics support, warehousing, roasting, packaging and distribution services. DMCC Coffee Centre will set up a dedicated Farmers Pavilion at the exhibition to provide farmers from different coffee-producing nations and regions with the opportunity to showcase and sell green coffee beans. The pavilion will serve to assist farmers in enhancing their presence in the global coffee market, in addition to allowing visitors to taste, choose and learn about coffee beans and their sources. Farmers and organisations from Rwanda, Colombia, Honduras, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Ethiopia will represent millions of farmers in the world’s coffee belt. DMCC Coffee Centre will be in charge of promoting the ‘Farmers Pavilion’ on all marketing channels through the Centre’s database. In addition, it will also host an informational campaign for visitors and exhibitors as well as invite experts and dignitaries to participate in this event. 

Saeed Al Suwaidi, director of Agri Commodities at DMCC, said, “We are confident that all of our key stakeholders across the coffee value chain will benefit from our strategic partnership with the World of Coffee. The Farmers Pavilion will further consolidate Dubai’s position as a major international hub for coffee trading and will serve as a platform to connect all relevant players in the coffee community, from farmers to traders and consumers, in line with our vision and objective to grow the local and global coffee business from Dubai. In particular, the pavilion will facilitate the exchange of skills and knowledge among individuals in the roasting field, help drive new business prospects, and improve the experience of both visitors and farmers by providing them with opportunities to sample and choose from the best kinds of green coffee beans. We believe that coffee is a universal language that connects people from around the world, and we look forward to enhancing global coffee trade by supporting the farmers’ pavilion.” 

The World of Coffee features a variety of events and activities. This includes the ‘UAE National Barista Championship’, the ‘National Latte Art Championship’, and the ‘Coffee Design Awards’ and ‘Best New Product competitions’, in addition to the main pavilions such as the Roasters Village and the Cabining Room and Brew Bar. The event will further entail a set of lectures and workshops. This will feature the presence of a group of associations specialised in the coffee industry, including the Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association, the Saudi Coffee Company, the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama, and the Uganda Coffee Development Authority.  

The presence of these associations holds significance owing to their role in enhancing quality and standards in coffee production, increasing trade and consumption of coffee, as well as representing and supporting the interests and rights of farmers, roasters, manufacturers, distributors, and consumers. Additionally, it would also foster cooperation and exchange of experiences between countries and regions producing and consuming coffee, as well as enhance awareness of its culture, history, benefits, types, and methods in preparing coffee. It will further promote innovation, development, and adoption of advanced technologies within the ever-evolving coffee industry. 

Over 1,650 global, regional, and local companies and brands will be participating in this exhibition to display their range of products and services related to the coffee industry, such as green and roasted coffee beans. Participating businesses will include those who provide roasting, packaging, and processing services in addition to those that supply coffee-manufacturing equipment, water, milk, and flavourings. These participants include 60 companies and brands from the UAE, like Three Coffee, Q Coffee, and Coffee Planet. Further, a total of 17 firms participating in the event, including Colombini Srl, Mazzer Luigi Spa, and Lelit Italy, are Italian brands and enterprises that will also be participating in the exhibition. Additionally, around nine firms and brands from the United States and eight companies from China will be participating in the exhibition.

The World of Coffee 2024 exhibition invites visitors to Zabeel Halls 4, 5, and 6 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, from 21 to 23 January 2024. Those who wish to participate and visit the exhibition can register via the following link: dubai.worldofcoffee.org/visitor-registration. 

The post WoC Dubai expected to be a diverse and international event appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Cajary Majlis will make use of the DMCC Coffee Centre, a 15,000 sq/m temperature-controlled facility, to bring coffee from Mutombo’s home country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and across Africa, to Dubai and beyond. In the fall of 2020, Cajary Majlis launched and distributed a limited-quantity #55 Champion’s Edition Barrel Aged Coffee, with beans sourced from the DRC to consumers in the US.

Speaking on the occasion, Dikembe Mutombo, chairman, Cajary Majlis, said, “We are thrilled to become a member of a world-class coffee trading hub that provides us direct access to trade opportunities in Dubai, across the UAE, and also the world’s key commodities markets. Dubai lies at the centre of global business and trade, and we are excited to join a vibrant community where Cajary Majlis can grow and thrive.”

“We plan to take full advantage of DMCC’s established trade connections, innovative infrastructure and world-class services to support the DRC’s agriculture and commodities community, introducing the world to the best that the Congo has to offer, including Congolese coffee,” he added.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairman and chief executive officer, DMCC, said: “It is an honour for us to welcome Dikembe and the rest of the Cajary Majlis team to our world-leading business district as they link coffee producing nations in Africa to the emirate and beyond. DMCC places great emphasis on driving trade through Dubai in a sustainable and responsible way so that we, and our 18,000 member companies, have a positive impact on the commodity-producing communities across the globe. This view is shared by Cajary Majlis, making them a perfect fit for our free zone and for the DMCC Coffee Centre.”

“Cajary Majlis’ decision to set up at the DMCC Coffee Centre demonstrates its international appeal and reflects the growth that the Centre has seen since its opening. We look forward to carrying on this growth journey alongside Dikembe and his team,” he added.

Mutombo, who is also CEO of the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, has leveraged his celebrity status as an NBA player to become a well-known spokesperson for the underserved communities throughout the DRC and Africa. Mutombo’s DMCC licence number will be 55, his jersey number throughout his career at teams including the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets.

Robert C Bush Jr, president & CEO, Cajary Majlis, said: “Our mission is to responsibly source and deliver agricultural products from undervalued communities to fast growing markets across various regions. Having a positive impact on the communities across our supply chain is central to our philosophy, so we are proud to be joining DMCC, a free zone that takes ESG and CSR seriously. Together, we will seek greater transparency, accountability, and integration between coffee producers and consumers.”

On 3 February, Bin Sulayem and coffee industry experts will join Mutombo and Angela Yee, founder of Coffee Uplifts People and co-host of the US nationally syndicated radio show, The Breakfast Club, for a virtual media invite only event: “The Real Price of Coffee in Your Cup”. Industry participants will shed light on the dynamic intricacies of the African coffee industry, from “crop to cup”, as well as the challenges and opportunities for many African coffee farmers, importers and distributors, and retailers.

The DMCC Coffee Centre continues to attract international businesses by connecting the fast-growing consumer markets in the Middle East and Europe to some of the world’s major coffee producing nations. The Coffee Centre supports the entire coffee industry from crop to cup by offering cost-efficient logistical support as well as warehousing, roasting and packaging services. In July 2020, DMCC announced plans to expand the Coffee and Tea Centres to triple output, increase services and boost capacity.

More information on Cajary Majlis can be found online at www.cajarymajlis.com.

Mutombo’s coffee can be purchased at www.mutombocoffee.com.

Visit dmcc.ae/coffee to learn more about the DMCC Coffee Centre.

The post DMCC Coffee Centre welcomes Cajary Majlis appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Last month, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of UAE, and ruler of Dubai, visited the DMCC Tea Centre and DMCC Coffee Centre.

The expansion announcement was made during a tour of both facilities by a senior Dubai FDI delegation, headed by His Excellency Fahad Al Gergawi, chief executive officer, Dubai FDI, and Mr Khalid Al Boom, deputy chief executive officer, Dubai FDI. Also in attendance was Ahmad Al Haddad, chief operating officer, Parks & Zones – DP World, UAE Region.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairman and chief executive officer, DMCC, said: “Under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, DMCC is fast becoming the global hub for the tea and coffee industry. Our ambitious plans to triple our capacity in the near future are strategically anchored in Dubai’s drive and ability to facilitate world trade. Situated at the crossroads of the world, Dubai is perfectly placed to grow its market share for commodity trading, and the import and export of coffee, tea and a whole range of other commodities. To support this ambition, DMCC has developed a solid eco-system of infrastructure and best-in-class services that together, will encourage more businesses to base their operations at DMCC.”

“Together with Dubai FDI, our efforts are focused on promoting the commercial appeal of Dubai to leading global businesses and SMEs from around the world. By driving commodity trade through Dubai, DMCC is also positively impacting vital sectors of the city’s economy including logistics, cargo volumes and aviation. As a result, we are supporting the government’s economic diversification plans while simultaneously contributing 10% to Dubai’s GDP,” he added.

The DMCC Tea Centre was opened in 2005 to boost global tea trade through the emirate, and has facilitated the trade of over 320 million kilos since inception. Building on the success of the operation, the DMCC Coffee Centre launched in 2019 – the first-of-its-kind facility in the Middle East – with the view to transform Dubai into a new global hub for the coffee trade.

The DMCC Coffee Centre supports the coffee industry from crop to cup and caters to farmers, exporters, traders, roasters and retailers alike. According to the company, the centre offers world-class infrastructure and services for green bean storage, processing, roasting, packing and delivery of coffee to precise specifications. With a view towards training and supporting baristas and local coffee shops, the Centre’s Premier Training Campus, which is Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) certified, offers professional courses in areas such as grading, green and sensory analysis, barista and brewing and sample/commercial roasting techniques.

Despite an overall softer business climate, it was revealed that 805 new companies joined DMCC in the first half of 2020, with a noticeable uptick in the months of May and June. DMCC also recently announced the extension of its Business Support Package, its largest ever commercial incentive, until 31 August 2020. This followed the positive market reaction from the Dubai business community to the original package launched in April 2020.

For more information, visit: www.dmcc.ae.

The post DMCC announces plans to expand coffee and tea centres in Dubai appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

From crop to cup, the Centre offers cost-effective logistical support and services that connect producers to buyers. Core services include warehousing, logistics, green coffee cleaning, contract roasting and packing, as well as more specialised offerings for re-bagging of green coffee, sample evaluation and training.

The Centre houses a coffee quality laboratory, cupping labs and a Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Premier Training Campus, in addition to a range of commercial office space. Projected to handle up to 20,000 tonnes of green coffee bean annually – with an estimated annual trade value of around AED 367m (USD $100m) – the Centre is set to attract new trade flows to Dubai and boost the national economy.

“This represents a significant milestone, and one that places Dubai firmly at the heart of the global coffee trade. First conceptualised in 2016, it is promising to see our vision to serve the market in an entirely different way become a reality,” said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairman, DMCC.

“Dubai is uniquely positioned to serve the significant emerging markets trade corridor of the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, and well connected to the coffee-producing regions of Africa, China, India, Latin America and South East Asia. The DMCC Coffee Centre will connect international coffee traders with sophisticated logistics, and a host of value-added services, providing operational excellence to meet growing global demand. Until now, the region simply did not have the capacity, equipment or expertise to facilitate global coffee trade on this scale, and we look forward to seeing the impact of our Centre on the industry going forward,” he added.

Other services offered by the DMCC Coffee Centre include: three fully outfitted cupping rooms with water to SCA standards; a coffee quality laboratory; a sample (Probat and Ikawa) and small batch (Diedrich) roasters – to assist customers in quality assessment, and shipments of roast and green coffee samples to buyers –; and two Brambati production roasters (30kg and 60kg) – which can accommodate specialty and commercial coffee roasting.

The post DMCC Coffee Centre opens to drive trade through Middle East appeared first on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.