• A staff member brews a cup at the Raw Coffee Company in Dubai. Ruel Pableo for The National
    A staff member brews a cup at the Raw Coffee Company in Dubai. Ruel Pableo for The National
  • The Raw Coffee Company in Dubai. Ruel Pableo for The National
    The Raw Coffee Company in Dubai. Ruel Pableo for The National
  • Matt Toogood, chief executive of Raw Coffee, speaks about how a shortage of beans is affecting the price of coffee. Ruel Pableo for The National
    Matt Toogood, chief executive of Raw Coffee, speaks about how a shortage of beans is affecting the price of coffee. Ruel Pableo for The National
  • Supplies at the Raw Coffee Company in Dubai. Ruel Pableo for The National
    Supplies at the Raw Coffee Company in Dubai. Ruel Pableo for The National
  • The price of a cup of coffee in Dubai is about to increase by up to 20 per cent, industry experts say. Ruel Pableo for The National
    The price of a cup of coffee in Dubai is about to increase by up to 20 per cent, industry experts say. Ruel Pableo for The National
  • Alan Hardman, sales and marketing director for Coffee Planet, has given a warning about the impending price rise on your morning brew. Photo: Coffee Planet
    Alan Hardman, sales and marketing director for Coffee Planet, has given a warning about the impending price rise on your morning brew. Photo: Coffee Planet
  • A global shortage of the Arabica coffee bean has resulted in an inevitable price hike, experts say. Courtesy: Coffee Planet
    A global shortage of the Arabica coffee bean has resulted in an inevitable price hike, experts say. Courtesy: Coffee Planet

UAE coffee prices: Global shortage could drive cost up by 20%


Patrick Ryan
  • English
  • Arabic

Your morning cup of coffee could increase in price by as much as 20 per cent in the next six months, according to experts.

The rising price is due to a combination of factors, including a global shortage of the Arabica bean, shipping restrictions caused by Covid-19 and an increase in the cost of containers from South America and Central Asia.

Extreme weather in Brazil, the world’s largest producer of Arabica, is another key factor in the supply crisis after frosts wreaked havoc and wiped out a third of the crop.

A senior figure from one of the UAE’s leading coffee producers said the average cost of the Arabica bean had almost doubled over the past year from $1 a pound (0.45 kilograms) to $1.80, an increase that is going to hit consumers in the pocket.

It is inevitable we are going to see an increase in the next six months
Alan Hardman,
Coffee Planet

“It is inevitable we are going to see an increase from 10 per cent to 20 per cent for the end consumer in the next six months,” said Alan Hardman, sales and marketing director for Dubai company Coffee Planet, which roasts the equivalent of 25 million cups of coffee each month.

“I also think that increase will stick around for the next couple of years at least. There are also concerns the price could go up as high as $4 per pound next year, which will unfortunately be passed on to the consumer.”

The Arabica bean is estimated to be used in 60 per cent of the coffee produced worldwide and is synonymous with speciality coffee — something the UAE market is renowned for.

The global shortage has resulted in some global producers toying with the idea of turning to the alternative Robusta bean, which is significantly cheaper and commonly used in instant coffee, it is also associated with a bitter flavour.

A worker dries Arabica coffee beans in Brazil. Reuters
A worker dries Arabica coffee beans in Brazil. Reuters

However, Mr Hardman believes the market in the UAE will endure the price increase because of the popularity of coffee made here using the Arabica bean.

“There are a lot of roasteries in Dubai alone that have invested a lot of money into using the Arabica bean to create speciality coffees,” he said.

“That is a scene that is only going to increase and there are huge numbers of speciality coffee shops here as well. There are just rows and rows of coffee shops that are bound to the Arabica style coffee.”

He said the region’s love of coffee is illustrated by the fact his company has taken a record number of orders this month, despite the impact of the pandemic and the recent surge in cost.

“People are not going to stop drinking coffee as it has become a such a normal part of daily life across the globe and especially so in this region,” said Mr Hardman.

The coffee price increase comes as the industry grapples with the effects of the pandemic.

“We saw about 40 per cent of the places we supplied to close down and they have not reopened,” said Matt Toogood, owner of Dubai’s Raw Coffee Company, which supplies coffee to more than 350 companies in the UAE.

“There are a huge amount of places that have just disappeared.”

One of the trends during the pandemic was people investing in home equipment to make their own brew, due to restrictions on travel, which has made them savvier about coffee.

Raw Coffee Company chief executive Matt Toogood at his shop in Dubai. Ruel Pableo for The National
Raw Coffee Company chief executive Matt Toogood at his shop in Dubai. Ruel Pableo for The National

This means coffee shops will have to up their game, especially if prices are going to increase, said Mr Toogood.

“There is a temptation for companies to reduce the standard of their coffee but keep charging premium prices, which is what I am worried will happen in a lot of cases,” he said.

“However, many consumers have spent time working out what makes good coffee and have gone back to the chain stores and are now expecting a better quality. For a long time, companies have tried to hide bad coffee by using loads of sugar to compensate.”

He said the budget end of the market is going to be especially hit by price increases as smaller companies will not be able to absorb the price increases.

“The bottom end of the market is going to be 100 per cent affected because they have no way of avoiding it,” said Mr Toogood.

“Your cup of chai from the guy on the back of his bicycle is going to double because his cost has doubled.”

There is one upside to the expected ramping up of coffee prices, according to Mr Toogood.

“The coffee producers are thankfully going to be making more money,” he said.

“The biggest problem we have had in the coffee industry over the last 10 years is the farmers themselves have not been paid enough.

“In most cases, they have been surviving on the poverty line.”

Sixty per cent of all coffee comes from smallholder coffee farmers with less than five hectares of land, which amounts to about 12.5 million people.

Non-profit group Enveritas, which works to promote sustainable coffee growing, estimates that at least 5.5 million of those people live below the international poverty line of $3.20 a day.

But the increase in price may not matter to coffee-lovers in the region, as long as they have their morning cup every day.

The owner of another Dubai-based coffee franchise believes a large amount of customers know exactly what they want from their favourite beverage and are willing to pay for it.

“A lot of our customers appreciate good coffee and are prepared to pay a little bit more for it,” said Kaniz Samir-Mostaffa, co-founder of Blk Cab Coffee, which charges up to Dh35 per cup from its brew bar.

“The coffee connoisseurs have always been happy to pay that little more for the extra quality.”

Trump v Khan

2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US

2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022:  Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”

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Scoreline

Arsenal 0 Manchester City 3

  • Agüero 18'
  • Kompany 58'
  • Silva 65'
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Test squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan(wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah

Twenty20 squad: Babar Azam (captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz 

LEADERBOARD
%3Cp%3E-19%20T%20Fleetwood%20(Eng)%3B%20-18%20R%20McIlroy%20(NI)%2C%20T%20Lawrence%20(SA)%3B%20-16%20J%20Smith%3B%20-15%20F%20Molinari%20(Ita)%3B%20-14%20Z%20Lombard%20(SA)%2C%20S%20Crocker%20(US)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESelected%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E-11%20A%20Meronk%20(Pol)%3B%20-10%20E%20Ferguson%20(Sco)%3B%20-8%20R%20Fox%20(NZ)%20-7%20L%20Donald%20(Eng)%3B%20-5%20T%20McKibbin%20(NI)%2C%20N%20Hoejgaard%20(Den)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PROFILE OF INVYGO

Started: 2018

Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo

Based: Dubai

Sector: Transport

Size: 9 employees

Investment: $1,275,000

Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri

Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

Know your Camel lingo

The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home

Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless

Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers

Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s

Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival

Brahmastra%3A%20Part%20One%20-%20Shiva
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAyan%20Mukerji%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERanbir%20Kapoor%2C%20Alia%20Bhatt%20and%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m

Winner: Alnawar, Connor Beasley (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)

5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m

Winner: Raniah, Noel Garbutt, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 2,200m

Winner: Saarookh, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez

6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Rated Conditions Dh125,000 1,600m

Winner: RB Torch, Tadhg O’Shea, Eric Lemartinel

7pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh70,000 1,600m

Winner: MH Wari, Antonio Fresu, Elise Jeane

7.30pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,600m

Winner: Mailshot, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer

 

Afro%20salons
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Scoreline

Man Utd 2 Pogba 27', Martial 49'

Everton 1 Sigurdsson 77'

Japan 30-10 Russia

Tries: Matsushima (3), Labuschange | Golosnitsky

Conversions: Tamura, Matsuda | Kushnarev

Penalties: Tamura (2) | Kushnarev

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E470hp%2C%20338kW%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20620Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh491%2C500%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

ICC Academy, November 22-28

UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal

ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan 

UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman

Mina Cup winners

Under 12 – Minerva Academy

Under 14 – Unam Pumas

Under 16 – Fursan Hispania

Under 18 – Madenat

Neymar's bio

Total club appearances 411

Total goals scored 241

Appearances for Barca 186

Goals scored for Barca 105

Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Wonder
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20EPD%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20Switch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
The bio:

Favourite holiday destination: I really enjoyed Sri Lanka and Vietnam but my dream destination is the Maldives.

Favourite food: My mum’s Chinese cooking.

Favourite film: Robocop, followed by The Terminator.

Hobbies: Off-roading, scuba diving, playing squash and going to the gym.

 

Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company

The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.

He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.

“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.

“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.

HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon. 

With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.

RESULT

Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City:
D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')

Updated: November 24, 2021, 11:29 AM