Coffee Intelligence Round-Up April 28th

Our coverage includes emerging market trends, challenges at origin, technological innovation, and human interest stories.

Consumption & Trends

For the past decade, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has seen an unprecedented boom in coffee consumption.

Dubai is fast becoming the launchpad for coffee brands eyeing the GCC market. The GCC coffee market is estimated to be worth some $6.84 billion.

Ross Hindle speaks with Shouq Bin Redha (DXB LIVE and World of Coffee Dubai Events) about how coffee brands are using the UAE as an entry point to "crack" the region – and scale.

Robusta is having a moment in specialty coffee. Once the bitter underdog of the coffee world, Robusta is enjoying a specialty moment – but is its rise driven by value, virtue, or mere volatility?

With arabica futures peaking at $4.41/lb in 2025, premium roasters are turning to robusta. But is it for sustainability or for survival?

Sarah Charles speaks with Sami Chbeir (San Antonio Coffee Roasters and What's Brewing) and Will Frith (Building Coffees) about how once dismissed as bitter filler, robusta is now being rebranded as a specialty contender.

News & Opinion

Coffee prices are rising, and the world’s most important coffee-growing country is feeling the heat – literally. Brazil is ramping up irrigation in a bid to protect crops from worsening drought – but the environmental cost is mounting.

Arabica prices hit record highs in 2025, fuelled by climate-induced shortfalls and speculation. Only 30% of farms irrigated, yet 60M hectares show potential – further spurring the push for water access.

Sarah Charles speaks with Felipe Croce (Fafcoffees and Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (FAF)) about Brazil’s irrigation conundrum, and its impact on coffee growers.

Few sectors are as globally enmeshed – and as politically exposed – as coffee. In recent weeks, Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on coffee imports have sent shockwaves through the industry.

Arabica prices recently surged to $4.30/lb – only to later drop 60 cents amid tariff panic. Trump’s reciprocal tariffs (and the subsequent pause) is reshuffling global sourcing, including for coffee.

Ross Hindle speaks with Judith Ganes (J Ganes Consulting, LLC) about how unfolding tariffs affect the coffee sector, and draws the conclusion that uncertainty is the real tax – and few can afford it.

What else is brewing?

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