DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Homegrown UAE brand, RAW Coffee Company has officially announced its selection as the designated coffee partner for the New Zealand Pavilion for Expo 2020. The mega international event, which is scheduled to run from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, will see RAW Coffee Company fueling the New Zealand Pavilion through the supply of premium coffee across the venue.
The selection process began with RAW submitting their application through the Expo 2020 portal, where it was reviewed and assessed by the New Zealand Expo Leadership team and the chosen Expo F&B Operators, Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC).
The key theme for the New Zealand Pavilion is “Care for People and Place” which has a synergy that aligns perfectly with RAW’s core principles, heavily focused on ethics and sustainability, while also adding value to every person they interact with in the coffee value chain. Moreover, product quality had a vital role to play in the decision-making process, but it was also RAW’s local knowledge and ability to navigate the expectations that the New Zealand Expo team has for their visitors, which is to provide attendees a vibrant Kiwi style café experience.
Kim Thompson, Owner and Managing Director said “It’s an extremely proud and exciting moment for us at RAW, as this was an opportunity that we were keen on exploring. We wanted to offer world class quality coffee to the guests visiting Dubai and more specifically, visiting the New Zealand pavilion. We know that New Zealand is a small country with a population of just under 5 million, but they are a nation internationally recognized as coffee connoisseurs who know a good flat white when they see one. The café culture in New Zealand is booming, and we very much wanted to show that over the last 13 years since our launch, Dubai and the UAE, have stepped up their game too.”
“We actually just finished operating our big coffee truck at the Expo 3-month event, it was a fantastic opportunity to be on site, see the pavilions going up, meet the staff and feel the energy out there. We will be supplying the New Zealand pavilion with a complete coffee solution; amazing fresh coffee, quality Italian espresso equipment, training their baristas and providing a head of coffee to ensure everything runs smoothly. RAW will be present at the New Zealand Expo pavilion in the relaxed Kiwi style café, in their corporate business spaces, and at the events, ensuring the team are adequately caffeinated”, added, Matt Toogood, Owner and CEO at RAW Coffee Company.
“Expo 2020 Dubai presents a huge opportunity for New Zealand to reconnect on a global level and showcase brands such as RAW Coffee Company who epitomise our pavilion’s theme of Care for People and Place. We know the local Dubai community already has a special place in their hearts for RAW’s innovative approach to specialty coffee and we cannot wait to serve this to an international audience who visit our restaurant; Tiaki or attend one of the many events we have planned across the six months. We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors and hope they will take the opportunity to discover more about our excellent food and beverage offering,” said Clayton Kimpton, New Zealand’s Commissioner-General to Expo 2020 Dubai.
While RAW is proudly a Dubai establishment, the owners are from New Zealand and proudly identify with both countries influence, the Middle East for its rich, long coffee history and its importance to local culture, and to their New Zealand heritage which is known for their innovation and influence on the world specialty coffee stage.
