World of Coffee Dubai 2026 is set to become the event’s most internationally diverse edition yet, reinforcing Dubai’s position as the Middle East’s leading specialty coffee hub and a key gateway for global coffee trade.
Scheduled from 18 to 20 January 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre, the fifth edition of the exhibition is organised by DXB LIVE in partnership with the Specialty Coffee Association. The event will welcome an expanded roster of coffee origins, national pavilions, and producer organisations from Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Eight national pavilions have been confirmed, including Ethiopia, India, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, and Brazil. Kenya and Peru will participate for the first time, while Colombia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Mexico, and Rwanda will return with larger delegations, highlighting the exhibition’s growing global relevance.
More than 76 producers will take part, marking a record for the event and reflecting the rising importance of Middle Eastern markets in specialty coffee trade. The Producers Village will feature 14 curated spaces designed to facilitate direct engagement between farmers, roasters, buyers, and importers. Three daily auctions will offer access to rare micro-lots and coffees making their regional debut.
The exhibition will also host leading national coffee boards and export bodies from Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Saudi Arabia, further strengthening origin representation.
Recent export data underscores this momentum. Kenya recorded a 12 percent rise in coffee exports in 2024, driven by Gulf demand, while Ethiopia generated approximately US$2.65 billion in exports during the 2024–2025 season, supported by strong buying from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Organisers say the growth reflects a maturing regional market, with producers increasingly prioritising Dubai as a strategic entry point for long-term partnerships and direct trade.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
