Celebrating International Coffee Day on 1 October, Emirates highlights the wide array of artisan coffee served in Emirates lounges and onboard flights to 140 destinations around the world.
Emirates serves more than 17 tonnes of coffee onboard every year, and works with a range of suppliers including Lavazza, Coffee Planet, the Nairobi Coffee and Tea Company, and a host of independent suppliers globally. As part of the meal service, Economy and Premium Economy customers are offered coffee once or twice during their flight, while Business and First-Class customers can order from a coffee menu on demand, including a wide range of options like decaffeinated coffee, cappuccino, iced Americano, espresso, macchiato, and Arabic coffee with cardamom and saffron. These coffees are made with Lavazza beans that contain notes of walnut and maple syrup or cocoa and black pepper. Coffee connoisseurs can even enjoy an affogato al café dessert, where espresso is poured over creamy ice-cream.
One key partner is UAE company Coffee Planet, a collaboration that has been ongoing for the last decade to create coffees for special occasions. Sourcing green beans from over 23 countries, Coffee Planet carefully roast and produce coffee beans and ground coffee, as well as manufacturing bio-degradable capsules in Dubai. Emirates also works with Coffee Planet to create bespoke drinks for special occasions like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, such as the rose-kissed mocha or orange crush latte.
In First and Business Class, Emirates partners with Lavazza coffee. Lavazza is an Italian manufacturer of coffee products founded in Turin in 1895 by Luigi Lavazza. Initially it was run from a small grocery store at Via San Tommaso 10, with its legacy continued by the third and fourth generations of the Lavazza family.
In the First Class lounge in Concourse B, Dubai International Airport, Emirates has a dedicated coffee counter where customers can choose between a variety of three single blend origin coffees freshly prepared by a barista. Each coffee presents a variety of aromas, acidity and bitterness and the Emirates team have been specially trained to suggest the best coffee for the customer’s preferences. The selection changes every two months so that regular travellers can sample beans from all around the world. For example, Colombia Huila Buenavista is juicy and silky bodied coffee with a sweet cacao nib like finish and floral notes as well as hints of apricot, grapes, blackberry and grapefruit. Burundi Nyagishiru has a mild fruity aroma, a smooth finish of milk chocolate, brown spice, caramel and stone fruit, with a tart acidity and velvety texture. Brazil Sao Vale Do Sol is a medium bodied coffee with a mild fruity aroma, citrus acidity, aromas and notes of grapefruit, vanilla, almond, chocolate with clean finish.
The First and Business Class Lounges also feature Costa Coffee, an Emirates Leisure Retail company, where a wide range of coffees and complementary food are served.
Coffee Training for Cabin Crew
Emirates Cabin Crew receive specialised coffee training, where they learn about the origins of coffee, different blends and how to make the perfect cup for every customer. In practical training sessions, cabin crew learn how to serve and present each coffee type and are assessed on the preparation and delivery of Emirates signature Arabic coffee. First Class passengers can enjoy their coffee in a choice of Royal Doulton fine bone mug or cup, and Business Class passengers in the fine bone china mug. The quality of the water used to make the coffee is also considered and regularly monitored, and Emirates ensures that the water tanks, equipment used for transportation and supply lines provide perfectly potable water, through regular disinfection, maintenance, and audits.
The History of Coffee
Coffee’s origins can be traced back to the ancient coffee forests of Ethiopia, where legend has it that a goat herder discovered the stimulating effects of coffee beans when his goats became notably energetic after consuming them. By the 15th century, coffee had made its way to the Arabian Peninsula, where it became an integral part of the culture. The world’s first coffeehouses emerged in the Middle East, and coffee’s irresistible aroma and stimulating properties soon spread to Europe and beyond, leading to the establishment of coffee plantations in the Americas. Today, coffee is a worldwide cultural phenomenon and cherished beverage across the world.
