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📅 Est. 1999
The UAE has established itself as a leading coffee trade hub in the Middle East and North Africa region, ranking among the world's top 20 coffee-importing nations, with import volumes reported in excess of 100,000 metric tonnes annually. Dubai's role as a regional logistics and re-export center, combined with events such as the Dubai International Coffee & Tea Festival and the Dubai Coffee Museum, has reinforced its position as a center of both commercial coffee trade and coffee culture.
Coffee trading covers the import of green (unroasted) coffee beans, roasting and packaging into finished retail or foodservice products, and distribution to cafes, hotels, supermarkets and export markets. In the UAE, many coffee trading companies operate across the full chain — importing green beans, roasting them locally, and selling under private or branded labels.
These companies import unroasted beans in bulk from origin countries for onward sale to roasters, both within the UAE and for re-export.
These firms roast green beans and package finished coffee products, often developing proprietary blends for retail, HORECA or private-label clients.
Focused on premium specialty coffee or automated vending distribution, these traders serve niche cafe clients and corporate vending contracts.
DCCIInfo currently lists 121 verified coffee trading companies in the UAE, covering green bean importers, roasters, packagers and vending suppliers across Dubai and other emirates, each with contact details for direct sourcing.
With its position among the world's top coffee-importing nations, established roasting infrastructure and free zone logistics advantages, the UAE offers a mature and competitive coffee trading market. Buyers seeking green beans, roasted products or private-label partnerships can use this directory to identify verified coffee trading companies operating across Dubai and the wider UAE.
Importing green coffee beans requires registration as a food importer with Dubai Municipality Food Safety Department (FSD) and compliance with UAE Federal Food Safety Law No. 10 of 2015. The process typically involves:
A trade license covering food processing/roasting activity, plus Dubai Municipality food facility approval, are required. Additional requirements typically include:
Costs vary significantly based on whether the business imports only, or also roasts and packages, so exact quotes should be obtained from DED or the chosen free zone authority. Major cost components include:
UAE coffee traders commonly source green beans from Brazil, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Colombia and other major coffee-producing nations across Latin America, Africa and Asia. Sourcing patterns generally reflect:
An importer brings green, unroasted beans into the UAE and clears them through customs, while a roaster processes those beans into finished roasted coffee for sale. In practice:
Plain coffee is generally not subject to mandatory halal certification, but flavored or additive-based coffee products may fall under GSO 993 halal requirements review. Traders should verify with ESMA and Dubai Municipality FSD since:
Yes, many UAE coffee companies both import green beans and export roasted, branded coffee products, leveraging Dubai's logistics and free zone infrastructure. This typically involves:
Coffee packaging must comply with ESMA labeling standards covering origin, roast date, net weight and bilingual labeling. Key requirements include:
Work with verified, licensed coffee trading companies that hold a valid UAE trade license and food safety registration. Buyers should also:
Minimum order quantities are set individually by each supplier and are not standardized across the industry. Buyers should note that:
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