How to Start a Wholesale of Coffee, Tea, Cocoa and Spices Business in Dubai

This activity is the business of supplying coffee, tea, cocoa and spices in bulk. You buy these goods from growers or import firms and sell them on to shops, cafes and food firms. In the UAE, a global trade hub for these goods, demand is strong and steady.

Dubai sits at the centre of this trade. The UAE handles more than half of the world's tea re-exports, ranking first globally. ¹ Dubai's DMCC Tea Centre alone moved over 24,400 tonnes of tea in 2024. ¹ Its Coffee Centre has processed more than 9,000 tonnes of coffee. ² The global tea market is nearing USD 300 billion.

For wholesalers, this means a deep, well-connected market. A Meydan Free Zone business license lets you supply these goods in bulk. It needs no third-party approval, as shown below.

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Why This Trade Thrives Here

• Trade hub: Dubai links growers with buyers worldwide.
• Re-export gateway: Goods flow through the UAE to the region.
• World-class centres: DMCC runs coffee and tea trade hubs.
• Strong demand: Coffee, tea and spices are daily staples.
• Diverse tastes: Many cultures drive varied demand.

Dubai, a Global Coffee and Tea Hub

The UAE moves a huge share of the world's tea, coffee and spices. Here are the key numbers.

Sources: DMCC; Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

Who Is This Activity For?

4630.10 - Wholesale of Coffee, Tea, Cocoa and Spices

This activity sits within the broader Wholesale of Food and Beverages class. Within it, this activity is the bulk supply of coffee, tea, cocoa and spices. It means selling these goods to businesses, not to the public.

The license covers the bulk supply of these goods. It does not cover retail sale to shoppers. It also does not cover growing, roasting or processing them. The retail trading of tea or spices has its own activities. Those limits are shown in the exclusions below.

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It helps to be clear on what this license does not cover. It does not cover retail sale of these goods to shoppers, which is a separate activity. It also does not cover growing, roasting or processing the goods, which is farming or a factory activity. The retail trading of tea or spices is licensed under its own activity.

In short: if you are supplying coffee, tea, cocoa and spices in bulk to businesses, you are in. If you are selling at retail, or roasting or processing the goods, those are separate activities.

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Compliance

THIRD-PARTY APPROVAL

This activity does not require third-party approval to obtain a business license from Meydan Free Zone.

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE

This business activity is not subject to AML compliance requirements.

References

1  DMCC. The UAE handles over half of the world's tea re-exports, ranked first globally, and Dubai's DMCC Tea Centre moved more than 24,400 tonnes of tea in 2024, with the global tea market nearing USD 300 billion.

2  Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. Dubai's DMCC Coffee Centre has stored and processed more than 9,000 tonnes of green and roasted coffee.