The Daily Grind: Coffee Planet

It may come as little surprise that the Arab world is considered one of the fastest growing coffee markets in the world, with the UAE one of its most active centres.

Caffeine devotees across the UAE drink nearly twice as much of the popular beverage as anywhere else in the GCC, helping create a vibrant and diverse coffee and café scene, and providing the perfect marketplace for businesses looking to tap into the increasingly diverse and sophisticated tastes of their customers.

One such business is Coffee Planet – a UAE-grown and Dubai SME 100 ranked company which, according to managing director Robert Jones, will see the largest growth levels in its history this year.

“Last year we saw 35 percent overall growth,” he says. “At the end of Q1 this year we were up 38 percent compared to Q1 last year.”

Familiar to drivers across the emirates, Coffee Planet is well known as the brand of choice at petrol stations, but there’s much more to its success than that.

Since launching in 2005, Jones and his team have built something of an empire by stealth, gradually growing a business to be proud of, and one which many people might not even know they’ve interacted with.

“I like to say that we are like an iceberg,” continues Jones.

“Most people see us in the gas stations or supermarkets, but they don’t know that on the flight they are taking via Emirates or Etihad, they’ll be drinking our coffee. Or in the hotel where they have lunch, they’ll be drinking our coffee.”

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The Daily Grind: Coffee Planet