Why Dubai? – Baba Java Coffee is International!
Baba Java Coffee is expanding from our Alabama roots! In February of 2024, we sent Joshua and Rachel Parvin, our co-founder and Director of Marketing Dubai to live full-time in Dubai. This may have been surprising to some of our customers, but our sights have been set on the international coffee scene since Baba Java Coffee’s founding days. In fact, the very thought that inspired the creation of Baba Java Coffee began in the Oman desert.
When Joshua was visiting with a friend, he fell in love with the coffee industry and the impact coffee could have when it was done well. To read more about how Baba Java Coffee began, click here.
Although Baba Java Coffee began by putting its roots down in Alabama, the desire was always to expand the business overseas. That purpose first showed its promise in 2020 over a school project.
The Opportunity
With Baba Java Coffee thriving in Hoover, AL, Joshua began studying International Business at the University of South Carolina. When one of his professors tasked him with a project of working through how to expand a small business overseas, he began to research where specialty coffee could thrive.
Dubai came as a unique opportunity with a fast-growing coffee industry and a government that acts as a catalyst to new business. With the rich history of coffee in the middle east, the access to the eastern part of the world where many unique origins grow and with the benefits of the business assets in the UAE, Dubai became the most obvious next step. Nothing is easy, but setting up a business in Dubai was going to be as straight forward as it could get.
Falling Into Place
Once the location was decided, everything else started to fall into place. The DMCC warehouse offered access to visas, offices and roasting facilities. The world-wide coffee conference, World of Coffee, that was most strategic for building clients happened to be hosted in Dubai. As time went on, a team of people passionate to move overseas came together with one goal in mind; to serve green coffee to cafe owners and coffee shops while elevating the farmers and growing the Dubai specialty coffee market.
Joshua used his expertise and international business degree to research, plan and execute the move to Dubai. With the support of Birmingham family, Joshua, Rachel and their son moved to the desert city of Dubai. There, they facilitate green coffee distribution for Baba Java Coffee.
We are thrilled to see Baba Java Coffee continue to grow and provide excellent coffee around the world. Want to keep up with our Dubai team? Follow along on Instagram @babajavacoffeedubai