Colombian Coffee Brand Juan Valdez Opens Shop in Dubai

Colombian coffee has a well-established reputation for quality worldwide. The international appeal of this national treasure was recently reaffirmed with the opening of a Juan Valdez shop in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Juan Valdez, created by the Colombian National Federation of Coffee Growers, is the brand that embodies the “Café de Colombia” (Colombian coffee) label. As such, it is the official ambassador of Colombian coffee abroad, introducing to the world the unmatched flavors of Colombian Arabica beans.

In recent years, Juan Valdez has expanded its reach, opening shops in 13 countries across three continents, actively boosting Colombia’s reputation for offering premium, world-famous coffees.

Reaching the Middle East coffee market

On February 22, 2024, the Juan Valdez coffee shop officially opened its doors in Dubai’s prestigious Jumeirah 2 area. The inauguration ceremony was attended by important figures in Colombian coffee production, notably Juan Valdez vice-president Sebastian Mejia and German Bahamon, the president of the powerful National Federation of Coffee Growers.

The presence of these key actors underscores the ambition of Colombian coffee producers to expand their reach globally. With the opening of this Dubai shop, Juan Valdez, which represents over 540 000 families of coffee growers, takes a strategic first step into the Middle Eastern market, an important consumer of coffee worldwide.

Indeed, with only ten million inhabitants, the United Arab Emirates represents a $276.9MN (1 trillion COP) market, with an average annual consumption of 1.1 kg per capita. In recent years, Colombian Coffee growers have tried to implant Juan Valdez in other Middle Eastern countries, such as Qatar, Kuwait and Turkey, which is one of the largest coffee consumption markets globally.

Colombia, a leader in the global coffee market

Due to its unique features, Colombia stands out as a major player in global coffee production. In fact, not only does Colombia produce large quantities of coffee, but it also delivers exceptional quality.

Notably, Colombia is one of the few countries producing a 100 percent Arabica coffee. This combination of premium quality and substantial quantity justifies Colombia’s reputation and position as the third largest producer and exporter of coffee worldwide.

As such, coffee is a key part of the Colombian economy. In 2021, coffee accounted for around 7.5 percent of Colombia’s total exports, with a value of $3.22B (12.7 trillion COP).

The expansion of Juan Valdez serves as a powerful platform for Colombian coffee producers, displaying the exceptional quality of their products to the world.