The third wave coffee movement, a global trend for turning coffee from a commodity into an artisan product, will be seen in Dubai soon, promised organisers of Dubai’s International Coffee and Tea festival.
Ryan Godinho, event director, told Caterer Middle East: “We predict that coffee and tea consumption and trade will grow exponentially in the region, and the UAE will eventually stand out as being among one of the world’s best café destinations.
“Independent and speciality cafes will eventually find their place here.”
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Godinho is spearheading the trend to bring independent and speciality brands to the UAE to raise the standard of the industry, which currently is led by US franchises.
Dubai already has two independent roasteries, operated by brands Coffee Planet and Raw.
He has revealed plans for the 2012 event, which will take place between October 30 and November 2 at the Meydan Grandstand and Convention Centre.
New this year will be the Latte Art Championship, which will run alongside the fourth National UAE Barista Championship.
Winners of both competitions will go on to represent the UAE at the world championships.
“The inception of the Latte Art Championship adds to the repertoire of highest level National Coffee Championships that we are gradually introducing to UAE under the banner, UAE Coffee Events,” said Godinho.
“The Latte Art Championship is visually stimulating and takes coffee preparation to a new level of artistic expression.”
Godinho also revealed that they have seen and increase in interest and trade enquiries for the Dubai festival from round the MENA region.
“Even now we are constantly receiving expressions of interest and bookings from mainstream exporters and manufacturers of equipment and services related to coffee and tea from around the world – all of whom are either looking for regional distributors or have plans to directly enter this region.”
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