Following the recent launch of a new, fair-trade, green and roasted coffee trading company People’s Coffee, Sheikh Dr Majid Al Qassimi and Emirati entrepreneur Ali Mansoor hosted Yemeni farmers in an informal stakeholder meeting through video conferencing this weekend in Dubai.

By the Levant News Newsdesk
Building on the company’s promise to enable them to share their stories with the world and improve their quality of life, the event featured a session where farmers were encouraged to share their journeys and thoughts on what makes their coffee unique, led by Sheikh Dr Al Qassimi.

“It was important to bring everyone together, for all the people involved in bringing this coffee to the market to get to know each other – from the farmers to the roasters. We’re immensely proud to have been able to host these diligent individuals, whose voices are often lost by the time the product reaches the consumer,” said Sheikh Dr Al Qassimi.

“I would like to thank all of the stakeholders who have taken part in this meeting, and DMCC for enabling us to conduct it very smoothly at their magnificent facility,” he added.

Fair Value Coffee traders
Headquartered in Dubai, the coffee trading company promotes a human-to-human approach to business. With the slogan “Fair Value Coffee Traders”, People’s Coffee has devised a system whereby financial returns are distributed equally across all parts of the supply chain.

“The farmers were very touched,” said Mansoor. “It was important for us to give them the recognition they deserve for all the hard work that goes into making this coffee. The air of enthusiasm in the room offered a good reminder of why we have chosen to do things the way we do.”

Yemen, known for its rich heritage, mild climate, picturesque scenery and distinctive coffee, was the first nation to cultivate and consume the beverage, as early as the 6th century. There are more than ten well-known types of beans in Yemen: al-Harazi being the star of the Emirati entrepreneurs’ event, and their company’s flagship product.

Speaking at the event live from Yemen, a producer who acts as a link between farmers and People’s Coffee and assists with the fair-value process, said: “We place great emphasis on educating the farmer on the history and value of coffee – which has been around in Yemen for a very long time – and is a crucial product for the economy. While all of our hard work during the past four to five years has yielded success, there are so many hidden secrets that are yet to be discovered; the world needs Yemeni coffee.”

DMCC, which is driving a major initiative to position Dubai at the heart of the world’s leading coffee supply chains, offers world-class infrastructure and services for green bean storage, processing, roasting, packing and the delivery of coffee with precise specifications.

DMCC CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem said:“As a facility that has been designed to provide greater efficiency and transparency for the global coffee industry, we were pleased to welcome the stakeholders of People's Coffee LLC. This Dubai-based entity works closely with the farming communities of coffee-producing nations to ensure that all of those who are part of the supply chain are treated fairly.”

“On this occasion, the team has brought with them beans from a region that is most commonly associated with the origins of coffee – Haraz, Yemen. Located between 1,800-2,450 metres above sea level, its farmers are the latest in a long line of ancestors to cultivate coffee and continue to use the same organic processes used by their predecessors," Bin Sulayem added.

Worth a try
“During the cupping sessions, guests tried three varieties of green Arabica beans, two from micro-lot farmers and one single-origin, while several producers, farmers and operations managers joined remotely to talk through the samples and how they had been processed. I am pleased to confirm that People's Coffee will soon be supplying six varieties of Yemeni coffee, marking what I hope will be the beginning of more trade to come. If you are a coffee lover, it is well worth a try,” he concluded.

Ratios Coffee Founder Khalid Faisal Al Qassimi said about the event: “It was great to be introduced to the community of growers within Haraz, and other regions of Yemen. It is much more than a cup of coffee, but rather a story to be told, and the country’s growers prove that it was never a myth.”