DMCC, UAE’s Free Zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities, trade andenterprise announced a joint partnership with Boncafé Middle East, a leading manufacturer and distributor of gourmet coffee and coffee machines, to produce locally roasted coffee at DMCC’s Coffee Centre. The signing, which took place in DMCC Headquarters in Almas Tower, was attended by Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC and Tony Billingham, CEO MENA and Group Executive Director of Boncafé.
Under the agreement, DMCC Coffee Centre will produce a variety of locally roasted coffee which is set to boost trade flow into the emirate of Dubai and in return will help develop Boncafé’s brand position in the larger MENA region. DMCC Coffee Centre will also produce and solely distribute a range of bespoke coffee products tailor made for Boncafé across the GCC.
The DMCC Coffee Centre offers world-class infrastructure and services, and the partnership will further cement its position as a leading center of excellence and trade producing a range of high quality coffees and blends up to par with traditional coffee markets such as Italy, the USA and Switzerland. The move serves both the global and local market by delivering fresh and cost-efficient coffee.
“DMCC is proud to partner with Boncafé, a true powerhouse in the coffee industry and the region for 18 years, to provide them with a range of bespoke services to facilitate their global trade. This collaboration underpins our strategy of providing world-class services, from roasting and quality control through to packaging and distribution that cater to the entire coffee value chain. It also truly reflects the strong reputation the Coffee Centre has built and its ability to attract leading coffee players, in turn positioning Dubai as a global hub for specialty coffee. We thank Boncafé for choosing us as their partner and very much look forward to working alongside their teams.” said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC.
The UAE is one of the most developed coffee markets in the region and the agreement is set to further enhance this position and bring added value to Dubai by boosting the import of Green coffee sourced from Africa, Latin America and Asia. Agreements as such will catapult Dubai’s GDP through the re-export of roasted coffee products into the region.
“To partner with DMCC is a natural progression for the Boncafé & Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group and this further shows the Group’s commitment to develop locally roasted UAE coffees. This will undoubtedly enhance our brand’s position throughout the whole Middle East region being now produced locally in the UAE”. said Tony Billingham, CEO MENA and Group Executive Director of Boncafé.
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.