This episode is brought to you by Arkena Coffee Marketplace - Connecting you to the next coffee harvest in Ethiopia through direct trade. https://arkenacoffee.com/ https://www.instagram.com/arkenacoffee/ Email: hello@arkenacoffee.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• This is the first of a five-part series on the Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward with Saeed Al Blooshi, the Emirati founder of El Matador Coffee Roasters and Lama Cafe, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This series first aired on the Map It Forward Middle podcast. In this series, host Lee Safar and Saeed explore the insights of what it is to build a coffee business in the UAE. The five episodes in this series are: 1. Changes in the UAE Coffee Industry - https://youtu.be/eJBQVwriJM8 2. The UAE and the Coffee Crisis - https://youtu.be/UztBP2Zk3gg 3. Business Owners and the Coffee Supply Chain - https://youtu.be/TgaNiik_GVc 4. Owners and Staff in the UAE - https://youtu.be/0la1XSMVKtk 5. Trends in UAE Cafes- https://youtu.be/FHXvgF1gcEQ In this episode of the podcast series, Lee and Saeed discuss the evolution of the coffee industry in the UAE, emphasizing the shift from commercial to specialty coffee cultures, the rise of local roasters, and the increasing consumer knowledge and expectations. Saeed shares his journey, from starting with a small coffee roasting setup to operating successful cafes and a roastery. They also set the stage for future episodes in the series by hinting at upcoming discussions on the coffee crisis in the UAE. Join us for an insightful look into the craft of coffee and the challenges of building a coffee business in the UAE. Connect with Saeed Al Blooshi, El Matador Coffee Roasters, and Lama Cafe here: https://elmatadorcoffee.com/our-story.php https://www.instagram.com/elmatador.ae/ https://www.instagram.com/lamacafe_ae/ •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• The Daily Coffee Pro by Map It Forward Podcast Host: Lee Safar https://www.mapitforward.coffee https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee https://www.instagram.com/leesafar