Follow a missing master roaster around Dubai, bring a friend for a free second cup, or order a pineapple bun and let the coffee come to you. International Coffee Day on 1 October offers plenty of reasons to stray from your usual order and a chance to look a little closer at the beans behind it.
An estimated 125 million people worldwide depend on coffee for their livelihoods, so there’s more riding on our daily brew than getting us through the morning. Smallholder farmers produce around 60 per cent of the world’s coffee, yet face unpredictable prices, rising costs and increasingly difficult growing conditions.
Here’s the less palatable part: according to Fairtrade International, nearly half of the world’s smallholder coffee farmers live in poverty, and almost a quarter live in extreme poverty. Growing one of the world’s favourite drinks is no guarantee of making a decent living. It’s a sobering thought when we’re debating whether to pay extra for oat milk.
Growing one of the world’s favourite drinks is no guarantee of making a decent living… a sobering thought when we’re debating whether to pay extra for oat milk
A more expensive flat white doesn’t necessarily mean a better payday for the person who grew the beans. The useful questions are: who grew this coffee, what were they paid, and can the brand tell you? Supporting those brands that invest in growers, protect the land coffee comes from, and tackle waste helps give those efforts a place on the menu.
So, here’s where to get your caffeine fix, try something new and pick up a sustainable perk along the way this International Coffee Day.
Coffee Planet: Find Ross, Fuel Your Year
A year’s supply of coffee is worth a little detective work. For International Coffee Day, and running from 1 October, Coffee Planet is sending Dubai’s coffee drinkers on a hunt for its master roaster, Ross, with clues and live location updates posted on Instagram. Track him down, prove you follow the brand and tackle a quick coffee trivia challenge: the highest scorer at each stop wins a year’s supply of specialty coffee.
There’s substance behind the fun, too. Coffee Planet works with Dubai’s The Waste Lab to turn used coffee grounds into compost for local farms, and offers certified home-compostable capsules made from bio-based materials. Ross’s route takes in DWTC, Al Wasl, JVC and Dubai Hills, with exact stops revealed as the hunt unfolds.
Cypher Urban Roastery
Give your usual beans the day off and explore Cypher Urban Roastery’s range of speciality coffees, from Ethiopia to Colombia and Kenya this International Coffee Day. The Dubai roaster champions fair trading practices, transparency and social responsibility across its supply chain, alongside education for the people who grow, roast and brew its coffee. Pick up a bag for home and ask about its origin; you might leave with a new favourite and a few brewing tips.
And while you’re there, why not browse coffee painted art supporting a woman’s cooperative or pick up some handmade gifts supporting grassroots organisations in Lebanon and Palestine.
Nespresso Maple Pecan: Go Nuts for Your Morning Cup
Maple syrup, pecan nuts and a dash of milk: Nespresso’s returning Maple Pecan brings autumn flavours to your morning coffee. The limited-edition Vertuo blend is back for the season, served hot or poured over ice for a cup with creamy caramel notes. Behind the beans, the B Corp-certified company works with more than 130,000 farmers through its AAA Sustainable Quality Programme, supporting farming practices that aim to improve coffee quality, protect the environment and strengthen farmers’ livelihoods. Give this fun flavour a try for International Coffee Day and support those who help perk you up in the mornings.
Price: AED per sleeve nespresso.com
Uptown Social: Two Cups, One Tab
Bring a friend and make it a double: Uptown Social is serving two coffees for the price of one this International Coffee Day. Whether your morning calls for a sharp espresso, a creamy latte or a flat white, order before noon and the second cup is on the house! The café says its Arabica beans are ethically sourced, with roasting done locally at Dubai’s DMCC Coffee Centre. A good excuse to pull up a chair and catch up over coffee.
Boon Coffee: Back to the Birthplace of Coffee
Take your taste buds to Ethiopia with Boon, the Dubai-based roaster founded by Orit Mohammed. Its Ethiopian roots run deeper than the name on the bag: the company sources Arabica beans directly from the country where coffee began, and Mohammed has spoken about the direct farmer relationships that help her know exactly where those beans come from. They work closely with the communities that grow their coffee, paying farmers fairly and investing in education to support the next generation. Order a cup or stock up for your morning brew, and make this International Coffee Day an excuse to get better acquainted with Ethiopian coffee.
Gift a Vertuo Up Coffee Machine
Start your day with B Corp-certified Nespresso’s newest machine, the Vertuo Up, and a coffee made just the way you like it. Its slim design fits easily into your kitchen, while its three-second heat-up gets your morning cup underway in moments. Whether you prefer your coffee hot, over ice or with milk, the dedicated Coffee Creations button prepares a concentrated brew with bold flavour and less dilution. For a more considered coffee ritual, return your used aluminium capsules through Nespresso’s UAE recycling programme, which separates the aluminium for recycling and transforms the coffee grounds into compost. An easy habit to begin this International Coffee Day.
Price: 1,449 AED nespresso.com
RAW Coffee Company: Keeping It RAW
Head to RAW’s working roastery in Al Quoz for a coffee break, with plenty happening behind the counter. This homegrown favourite roasts its speciality beans in Dubai and builds direct relationships with growers, putting traceability and fair trade at the heart of its sourcing. It has also used its platform to speak out against the starvation of Palestinians through the Coffee Against Starvation campaign. Stay for a cup, then take home a bag to give tomorrow’s breakfast a little more bite.
Mishkah: A Coffee and an Olive Branch
Come for coffee, stay for the olive oil. At Mishkah in Al Quoz, coffee, tea and desserts share space with Palestinian olive oil, wild thyme, sumac and other Levantine pantry staples. Its olive oil dispensers let you refill a glass bottle, while the business says it sources products from women farmers across Palestine. Add a bottle to your coffee order and put it to work at home with warm bread and a generous pinch of za’atar.
852 Bakery: Buns, Bagels and a Brew
Hong Kong-style pineapple buns and an iced coffee at your door? That’s International Coffee Day sorted. At 852 Bakery, Chef Kelvin Cheung draws on his Hong Kong heritage and globe-spanning career for a menu of breads, bakes and drinks. His work at Jun’s also puts local ingredients first and kitchen waste to good use. Order an Iced Americano (AED 27) or Cold Brew (AED 30), or go for the Iced Parle G Latte (AED 30), inspired by the much-loved biscuit. Add a pineapple bun with its sweet, crackly top, or a bagel with homemade cream cheese, and settle in. Available through Liu by Jun’s on Deliveroo.
Costa Coffee: Have Your Dessert and Drink It Too
If you like your coffee with a little dessert on the side—or in the cup—Costa’s autumn menu has you covered. Choose from the Salted Nut Fudge Latte, Ruby Espresso or Tiramisu Cloud for your International Coffee Day order. Behind the seasonal flavours is a solid sourcing credential: all Costa’s coffee comes from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms, which must meet requirements for better farming practices, working conditions and care for nature. To be more sustainable, stay in for your coffee in a reusable cup and leave the takeaway packaging out of the order. New to Costa Club? Download the app and earn 2,000 Beans with your first purchase, giving you a free coffee to look forward to.
