The Story
RAW Coffee Company was founded in June 2007 by Kim Thompson, with Matt Toogood joining as a partner a couple of years later . The genesis of RAW came from a personal frustration—the founders couldn’t find quality specialty coffee in the UAE, so they would bring beans back to Dubai in their suitcases from New Zealand whenever they traveled . RAW was born to fill this gap in the market and target the niche for freshly roasted specialty coffee .
Thompson initially opened the first branch in Dubai Investments Park in 2007, before moving to Dubai Garden Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road within a year . Toogood recalls their humble beginnings: “We basically had two rooms in the Garden Centre. That was our space. One of them was the roastery and the other was where we served customers” . RAW was the first specialty coffee roasting company in the Middle East , establishing itself as a pioneer in Dubai’s emerging coffee culture.
Both Kim and Matt hold New Zealand passports but are longtime residents of Dubai, and RAW is proudly a UAE business startup that they’ve organically grown with their own investment as 50% partners . They’ve been awarded entrepreneurial golden visas and numerous accolades including the 2022 Best Homegrown Coffee Roastery from BBC Good Foods and recognition for advancing the F&B sector .
Sourcing & Relationships
RAW imports green coffee beans from countries all over the world including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Yemen, and Colombia, with a vision to only import 100% organic and certified ethically traded coffee beans . The company enjoys strong, direct relationships with growers and partners at origin, promoting traceability, trust, and clear communication . According to the owners, coffee quality improves year after year when they buy from the same farmer, as the company and farmer develop good direct trade relationships built on trust and communication .
Matt Toogood has traveled extensively to origins including Colombia, Ethiopia, and Yemen, bringing back organically certified and ethically sourced coffee beans . All of RAW’s coffee beans are organically certified and roasted in small batches, either as single origins or blends, making them one of the few local roasters handling premium-grade Arabica coffee that is both organic and direct-trade . The company’s ethical approach provides farmers with secure wages and sustainable living standards, expanding fair trade practices in the UAE .
As RAW evolves and innovates, they plan to take their knowledge and experience to further add value to the lives of their coffee partners at origin . Their vision involves imparting knowledge to coffee partners at origin, fostering change, and connecting consumers to truly premium coffee .
Roasting Philosophy
RAW offers specialty coffee freshly roasted at their warehouse in Al Quoz , operating from a custom-built 13,500 square foot working roastery café . They roast beans in small batches and distribute them to establishments around the UAE . Both owners Kim Thompson and Matt Toogood hold the first International Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Diploma qualification in the MENA region .
RAW emphasizes the importance of water quality in coffee preparation, with Toogood noting that “your cup of coffee is 99.8 per cent water,” so getting the water right is crucial to achieving proper coffee taste . The company promises to ethically source, artfully roast, and keep sustainability and consistency at the core of everything they do .
The roastery also houses an SCA premier training campus providing internationally recognized training certification for coffee professionals and enthusiasts . Their accredited course program is designed for both aspiring barista professionals and coffee enthusiasts , demonstrating their commitment to elevating industry standards through education.
What to Try
RAW’s bestselling Working Blend is where it all started—designed to partner perfectly with milk and famous for being “the best flat white ever” . This flagship blend is created with two washed Central American coffees and one African natural . Their Black Tie blend is a low-acidity, slightly darker roast that is bold, rich, and smooth with a long, deep finish , crafted with three washed Arabica origins—two from Central America and one from Africa .
Little Black Dress (LBD) is RAW’s more playful offering with character and complexity, perfect both as black coffee or with milk . This omni-roast blend is crafted with three beautiful, washed Arabica origins—one from Africa and two from Central America . For their 15th anniversary, RAW created the special 15:51 blend celebrating their journey and the UAE’s 51 years, combining a Colombian Gesha varietal with an African sun-dried natural for “amazing flavors of mangosteen, guava, and sweet pear” .
In 2022, RAW launched ReadyRAW, a convenient coffee solution enabling brewing anywhere with just a kettle, cup, and good quality water—showcasing their 15 years of specialty coffee expertise . Their single-origin offerings include coffees from producers like Maria Lopez and various African origins including naturally processed and washed Ethiopian coffees .