UAE Coffee Innovation Summit 2025:
bringing a Better Future for Coffee Professionals
On June 23, 2025, the UAE coffee community took a bold step forward in shaping its coffee future by hosting the very first UAE Coffee Innovation Summit. Held at the Victoria Arduino Experience Lab in Dubai, the event brought together café owners, baristas, trainers, entrepreneurs, and industry experts to ignite meaningful conversations around collaboration, innovation, and sustainability in the UAE’s fast-evolving coffee scene.
The summit was brought to life by Coffee Knowledge Hub, the platform behind the Innovative Coffee Community, a dedicated online space for professionals to raise their voices, share ideas, and collaborate for the future of coffee. Their involvement helped provide structure and purpose to the event, encouraging everyone to think beyond the café and toward the greater industry.
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The summit was spearheaded by Mr. Garfield Kerr, CEO of Mokha 1450 and President of the Specialty Coffee Association, who led the discussions with a strong focus on inclusivity, empowerment, and the importance of investing in people. He emphasized that innovation is already happening within the UAE, and pointed to the country’s growing influence in shaping the global coffee narrative.Notably, he highlighted the significance of the UAE becoming the first country outside Europe to host the World of Coffee, a prestigious event traditionally held only in Europe alongside the Specialty Coffee Expo. Its presence in the UAE signals a clear shift: the region is no longer following trends, but setting them.“There would be no global SCA without the UAE,” Mr. Kerr said.
“In the beginning, it was just the SCAA and SCAE. But it was Dubai’s involvement that brought the global Specialty Coffee Association to life.”
Key Themes Discussed:
1. The Importance of Collaboration:
One of the strongest messages throughout the day was the value of collaboration over competition. Whether it’s café owners supporting baristas’ development or brands working together to raise standards, cooperation was highlighted as the foundation for industry progress.
2.Creating a Welcoming Culture
Beyond coffee quality, we talked about how the human element–hospitality, service, and inclusivity–plays a massive role in the success of coffee businesses. The UAE, with its diverse community, has the unique opportunity to set a global example in this regard.
3. Honoring Traditional Coffee Cultures
An important point raised during the summit was the need to recognize and celebrate traditional coffee practices, such as the UAE’s own Gahwa, a deeply rooted cultural symbol of hospitality and heritage. As the specialty coffee scene continues to grow, there’s a valuable opportunity to bridge the gap between modern innovation and traditional identity.
4 Expanding Barista Skill Sets
Another key takeaway was the growing need for baristas to develop a broader set of skills beyond just making coffee. In today’s specialty coffee environment, success also depends on strong communication, customer interaction, technical understanding of equipment, and workflow efficiency. Building confidence in areas like machine handling, menu knowledge, and hospitality can elevate the overall café experience and help baristas grow into more dynamic and valuable professionals.
5. Barista Wages and Recognition
A topic that hit home for many attendees: baristas are often underpaid and undervalued, despite being on the front lines of the specialty coffee movement. The summit addressed how we can work together to raise wages, create better career paths, and encourage retention through recognition and support.
6. Training and Certifications
Education was a key topic, and many voices at the summit stressed that coffee education should be affordable and accessible to everyone, not just a privilege for a few.At the same time, Rasam Adabi, Head of Training and QC at CMI Coffee, shared an important reminder:“If baristas wait for the company to train them, they might limit their growth. But if they take control of their own learning, they can shape their path. A company may prepare you for the basics, but you might have the capacity to become a professional.”
The consensus? While companies should support growth, baristas also benefit from taking initiative. Shared responsibility, paired with accessible pricing, is the way forward.
6. Trends in the UAE Coffee Scene
One of the most exciting parts of the summit was recognizing the legitimacy and creativity of the UAE café culture. The coffee scene in the UAE has become world-class, known for pushing boundaries in design, hospitality, and concept execution. Cafés here are aesthetically elevated, thoughtfully branded, and designed as full experiences.Even more impressive is the access to rare and exclusive coffees, from unique micro-lots to sought-after origins, it's possible to find some of the most exceptional and limited coffees in the world right here in the UAE. This commitment to quality and innovation positions the UAE not just as a local leader, but as a serious global player in the specialty coffee industry.
A Platform to Continue the Conversation
One of the most promising outcomes of the event is the continued support through the Innovative Coffee Community, hosted on the Coffee Knowledge Hub website. This is where the industry can stay connected, raise concerns, co-create solutions, and collaborate toward a stronger, more sustainable future. It’s a space designed for real conversations and real progress, not just for baristas, but for everyone in the coffee value chain.
Final Thoughts
The UAE Coffee Innovation Summit was more than just a conference, it was a call to action. It was powerful to see long-standing issues such as low pay, limited opportunities, and lack of recognition being brought into the spotlight by industry leaders.More importantly, the summit opened a space for co-creating solutions, from strengthening training programs to building a more connected and supportive coffee community across all roles.Looking ahead, this summit has the potential to become more than just a one-time event, it could grow into a movement that continuously challenges and improves the way we work in coffee. It reminded us that the future of this industry won't be shaped by machines or trends alone, but by the people behind every cup. Empowering those people at every level is how real progress begins.