The World of Coffee Dubai 2026 will host its largest and most internationally representative line-up to date, with organizers confirming a record 76 producers for the fifth edition of the event.
The three-day exhibition will take place from 18 to 20 January 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Organized by DXB LIVE, the integrated event management agency of the Dubai World Trade Center, in partnership with the Specialty Coffee Association, the event continues to position Dubai as the center of the specialty coffee sector in the Middle East and North Africa.
Eight national tracts will participate in the 2026 program, including Ethiopia, India, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama and Brazil. Kenya and Peru will participate for the first time, while returnees such as Colombia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Mexico and Rwanda will appear with increased delegations.
The centerpiece of the show will be the Producers Village, a dedicated area designed to connect farmers directly with consumers, roasters and importers. Fourteen selected areas will showcase a wide range of terroirs, processing techniques and production methods from across the world’s coffee belt. Selected producers will also participate in three daily coffee auctions, giving buyers access to micro-lots and experimental coffees previously unavailable in the regional market.
Recording participation encourages global exchange
This extensive exhibition will also feature the participation of national coffee boards and exporting organizations, including the Associação Brasileira de Cafés Especiais, Instituto del Café de Costa Rica, the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama, PROMPERÚ, the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, the Kenya Coffee Directorate and the Saudi Coffee Company.
Export trends among producing countries underscore the growing importance of Middle Eastern markets. Kenya recorded a 12 percent increase in coffee export volume by 2024, while Ethiopia generated US$2.65 billion in coffee export revenue between the 2024 and 2025 financial years. Africa as a whole has seen a year-on-year increase in coffee export volumes of 8 percent by the end of 2024, reflecting growing international demand for specialty coffees.
Shouq Bin Redha, Exhibition Manager of World of Coffee Dubai, said: “The quality and diversity of origins this year shows a significant change in the coffee industry worldwide. Producers are no longer looking at the Middle East as an export market; they are actively shaping their export strategies around it.”
Khalid Al Mulla, CEO of the Specialty Coffee Association UAE Chapter, said the region’s specialty coffee community has become quality-driven and engaged with origins. He added: “The World of Coffee Dubai 2026 captures this moment, when the tradition of global origin and regional demand come together in a way that is reshaping the future of the specialty market throughout the Middle East.”
Organizers said the increased participation and presence of record producers reinforces Dubai’s growing influence in the global specialty coffee scene and its role as a meeting point for producers, consumers and roasters.
