Coffee blend makes it to Expo product list
dubai — More than 5,000 unique products will be manufactured and distributed specifically for Expo 2020, and one was revealed on Wednesday — a specially crafted coffee blend.
Karam Coffee is one of the first products to receive its licence under Expo 2020 Dubai. During the six-month-long world showcase, millions of visitors will be privy to two special blends of flavours — one Arabic and one Turkish — which have been roasted specially to mark the occasion.
Although the event is a little under two years away, residents and visitors can now try the coffee, for free, at the Karam tasting rooms in Al Quoz.
Bearing the Expo 2020 Dubai logo, Mohammed Al Ghurair, CEO of Karam Coffee, said the aim is to give visitors a welcome to remember. “Coffee is about entertainment, it’s a culture in itself. The first thing you get in an Emirati house is coffee; it’s how we welcome people. Expo 2020 is our way of welcoming people from all over the world into our home, so it makes sense to do it with coffee,” he told Khaleej Times.
Calling it the “perfect welcome drink at the ultimate event”, Al Ghurair said the process started with six coffee flavours, before settling on the final two.
“We chose a variety of Emirati coffee and Turkish coffee. It’s an inclusive look into the region and a way to educate people about the Middle Eastern coffee culture.”
The design on the packaging that will be used during the event is inspired by the sadu,a
Coffee is about entertainment, it’s a culture in itself. The first thing you get in an Emirati house is coffee; it’s how we welcome people.”
Mohammed Al Ghurair,
CEO, Karam Coffee
traditional Bedouin type of weaving done by women in rural communities in the UAE. Explaining the difference between each blend, Al Ghurair said the Emirati roast is a medium-coarse grind, to be served in the traditional manner.
“The coffee will be boiled in a normal pot on high heat for one minute, then simmered on medium heat for five minutes. It should then be poured into a dallah (traditional pouring pot), before being served in a small cup,” he said.
The Turkish roast is a much finer grind, “similar to flour”, and also a darker roast. “This should be prepared in the cevze (small pot with long handle), mixed with cold water, then put on a fire to boil. It should always be poured in front of the guest.”
Karam Coffee is one of the first official Expo 2020 licencees. Expo aims to have 70 licencees producing a total of 5,000 products.