Ahmed Suleiman Al-Saif from Saudi Arabia has partnered with a Brazilian company to distribute his product in the World Cup country of Qatar
One of the notable scenes of Qatar World Cup it was a kind of Saudi invasion of the host country of this edition due to the geographical proximity. Fans of the green hawks, nickname of the national team, victorious against the finalist Argentina, but fallen in the first phase, the fans arrive in Doha with the coaches organized by the tournament and leave from the Qatari city of Abu Samra, the only land border that the emirate has. But Saudi Arabia didn’t just send fans, they took advantage of the footballing climate to do business. One of them is a coffee developed in collaboration with a Brazilian company.
At the edge of the Corniche, in Doha, a stand with the colors of Brazil has been promoting the tastings of the Café ABQ, whose acronym means pleasant aroma in Arabic, since the beginning of the World Cup. The new product from the Saudi company Al-Saif includes fine cup grain, grown in Alta Mogiana, in the region between Franca and Ribeirão Preto, as well as parts of Minas Gerais cerrado.
Production manager Rakeeb Al-Almari explains that Sheikh Ahmed Suleiman Al-Saif, owner of the company in Saudi Arabia, has spent years searching for the ideal grain to create a product with the Brazilian-Saudi signature. “We have made several trips to Brazil to taste coffees from various regions, all with the aim of obtaining the best products that are compatible with the taste that the local public likes.”
HOW THE PARTNER WORKS
According to Laura Rauscher, one of the owners of Rauscher Traders, a Santos-based company specializing in the foreign trade of raw materials such as coffee and pepper, the selected bean is exported green, and in each country the coffee brands make their own roasts and blends. “Therefore, they create their own signature, taking into account the taste of each region to which our coffee is exported.”
The entrepreneur says that the Arab world consumes a lot of Turkish coffee, made with fresh beans imported from Brazil.
COMPETITION
In the Persian Gulf countries Arabs tend to prefer gawra, a greenish coffee, and in the winter months karak, black tea made with milk and spices, such as cardamom and cinnamon, and brought to Qatar by immigrants from India and Pakistan.
Although there is an offer of espresso coffee, especially in places where foreigners circulate, how can we increase the consumption of black coffee in lands where other hot drinks are stronger?
According to Laura, the initial plan is to consolidate ABQ within Saudi Arabia, whose population exceeds 34 million. According to her, there are plans to introduce it and popularize it in the market of Qatar and other Gulf nations.
Rakeeb points out that there are currently 1,500 coffee outlets and online sales of 500g and 5kg packs for use in machines. Prices vary between R$33 and R$306.
The manager also noted that, in the last three years, there has been an increase in the interest of the domestic Saudi market for other types of coffee, such as espresso and americano. The product launch had a big impact in Saudi Arabia, people appreciated it and a Saudi coffee from Brazil is a unique experience.”
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Source: Terra
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
