A Recap of Gulfood 2025

Event Overview 

Gulfood is one of the industry’s largest annual food and beverage trade shows and is held in Dubai annually. It brings together global industry leaders to showcase innovations, explore opportunities, and connect across a range of Food and Beverage (F&B) sectors. Coffee, of course, is one of the main focuses of the show.  

Orestis Yakas, Green Commercial Trader, and Samir El Sadawy and Maroun Sarkis, from our Instant teams, manned the stand this year. They managed to find some time to report back on their key takeaways and give us insight into the type of conversations they had at the event.  

Coffee Prices and Market Volatility 

The main topics of conversation this year were coffee prices & market volatility. As Orestis says, “Prices were probably the most discussed topic. We suggested ways for our clients to manage costs, including detailed discussions about price differences between coffee origins. These solutions to managing costs could look like buying coffee from alternative origins that might be cheaper or purchasing spot goods from European warehouses instead of shipping directly from origin.” 

Changing Consumer Preferences  

Orestis also highlighted discussions that showed that consumer preferences in the region were changing, with espresso gaining popularity and taking a significant market share from traditional Arabic coffee. This opens up demand for new origins and green coffee products beyond the ‘traditional’ Rio Minas and Robusta. It will be interesting to see this demand mature and also to see what it means for the growth of the specialty market in the region.  

Cold Coffee Trends 

Maroun and Samir, Sucafina Instant traders, noted that it was clear that brands are doubling down on iced applications, from instant solutions to ready-to-drink formats. Both commented that the creativity is endless, with new flavors, textures, and functionalities hitting the market. Everyone is looking for the next big thing, and the message is clear: cold coffee isn’t seasonal anymore. It’s a category of its own, and it’s only getting bigger.  

Market Pressures and Cost-Effective Options  

While demand in the region is increasing across all coffee segments, margins are under pressure. Increased competition and growing expertise in a globalized market is contributing to customers seeking more cost-effective options and being more flexible about the origins they are looking for, as long as the coffee meets their quality standards.  

Conclusion 

Gulfood 2025 provided the perfect platform for our Sucafina Teams to connect with partners, discuss  managing market volatility and direct our focus on the rising trends of today's coffee market.  

In a market that’s constantly shifting, Sucafina’s global network is what keeps us ahead, helping customers navigate challenges, find the best value, and stay competitive. Whether you attended Gulfood or not, now is a great time to get in touch with your trader, if you, like many at the event, would like to dive into the conversations around the market and how to best navigate your purchases.  

About the Authors: 

Orestis Yakas has been a Sales Trader at Sucafina S.A. since 2022, focusing on the MENA market. He graduated from Southampton Solent University with a degree in Maritime Business, where he developed strong expertise in contract law, international trade, and logistics. 

Maroun Sarkis has been with Sucafina since 2022. He specializes in selling coffee solutions across the MENA region. He has a bachelor degree in Distribution and Logistics Management from Notre-Dame University. 

Samir El Sadawy, has been a part of Sucafina since 2015, brings value to its instant coffee clientele across Europe and the Middle East. Samir has a masters in international Trading, Commodity Finance and Shipping from the University of Geneva, Switzerland.