DMCC announces plans to expand coffee and tea centres in Dubai
DMCC's Coffee Centre
DMCC – the world’s flagship Free Zone and Government of Dubai Authority on commodities trade and enterprise – has announced plans to expand its state-of-the-art DMCC Tea Centre and DMCC Coffee Centre and its intention to triple output, increase services and boost capacity. The announcement follows increasing demand from commodity traders to use DMCC facilities to connect with regional and international markets to gain competitive advantage.
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.