Wholesale coffee beans in the UAE: what a kilo costs and how volume tiers work
Cafés, hotels, offices and vending operators in the UAE buy roasted coffee by the kilo on a monthly contract. The price depends on three things: how much you take per month, which blend or origin you brew, and what the roastery includes in the kilo. Here is how the numbers work, with our own price list as the example.
How a roastery prices a kilo
Wholesale coffee in the UAE is sold per kilogram, excl. VAT, against a monthly volume. The more you commit to each month, the lower the rate. A serious supplier fixes the tier in writing and tells you when it is reviewed; a quote that changes every delivery is not a wholesale price, it is a retail price with a discount.
At Stark Roastery the tiers are built around Bronze 60/40, the Arabica/Robusta blend that runs in our own network of 120 coffee machines. The same blend, the same roast profile, every week.
| Monthly volume | Blend | AED / kg |
|---|---|---|
| 10–50 kg / month | Bronze 60/40 | 64 |
| 51–100 kg / month | Bronze 60/40 | 60 |
| 101–149 kg / month | Bronze 60/40 | 57 |
| 150+ kg / month | Bronze 60/40 | 55 |
| Vending operators, from 150 kg / month | Bronze 60/40 | 55 |
| Any volume | Silver, Steel, Iron, single origins, private label | on request |
Business prices excl. 5% VAT. Tier fixed at signing, reviewed quarterly. Valid from October 2026.
What is inside the price
A kilo price only makes sense when you know what comes with it. Ours includes:
- Roast date on every pack. We roast weekly in Dubai Industrial City. The roast date and best-before date are printed on the pack, so you can check age on arrival.
- Weekly delivery across the UAE. Coffee arrives in the week it was roasted. You hold a week of stock, not a quarter.
- One roast profile. Bronze 60/40 is roasted to the same profile every week. Your grinder settings and your recipe stay the same.
- A fixed tier. The rate is set when we sign and reviewed quarterly. No surprise on the invoice mid-month.
- Whole bean or ground. Ground for your brewer if you do not grind on site.
Blends and origins: what to brew at volume
Most wholesale volume in the UAE goes into milk drinks and bean-to-cup machines, which is why the blends do the heavy lifting. The four blends are named by metal: heavier metal, more Robusta, darker roast.
| Blend | Arabica / Robusta | Intensity | Built for | Retail 1 kg, excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | 90 / 10 | 6 / 10 | Smooth espresso for milk drinks and cafés | AED 99 |
| Steel | 80 / 20 | 7 / 10 | Balanced, more body; offices and hotel breakfast | AED 90 |
| Iron | 70 / 30 | 8 / 10 | Dark, thick crema; bean-to-cup machines | AED 82 |
| Bronze | 60 / 40 | 9 / 10 | Vending and high-volume milk drinks | AED 70 |
The single origins are 100% Arabica, sourced direct from estates and cooperatives: Brazil (Cerrado, light or dark roast), Colombia (Huila, Supremo), Ethiopia (Sidamo, G2 washed) and Kenya (Nyeri, AA). At retail they are AED 99, 115, 125 and 139 per kilo excl. VAT. For a café that wants a single origin on the second grinder, the wholesale rate is quoted per contract.
A worked example
A café using 40 kg of Bronze a month sits in the first tier: 40 kg × AED 64 = AED 2,560 per month excl. VAT.
A hotel using 120 kg a month is in the third tier: 120 kg × AED 57 = AED 6,840 per month excl. VAT.
Per cup. At an 18 g double-shot dose, one kilo gives about 55 doses. At AED 64 per kg that is roughly AED 1.16 of coffee per double shot; at AED 55 per kg, about AED 1.00. Milk, cup and labour sit on top of that.
How to compare wholesale quotes
Put every quote on the same basis before you look at the number:
- Price per kg, excl. VAT. Some suppliers quote incl. VAT, some per 250 g bag. Convert to one kilo without VAT.
- Roast date. Ask whether it is printed on the pack and how old the coffee is on delivery. Imported coffee is often months old before it reaches the shelf.
- Delivery frequency. Weekly delivery means less stock on your shelf and fresher coffee in the grinder.
- Minimum monthly volume and how the tier is fixed. Is the rate locked for a period, and when is it reviewed?
- Blend ratio and roast level. A 60/40 blend and a 100% Arabica are different products at different prices. Compare like with like.
- Samples. Brew a kilo on your own machine with your own milk before you sign.
Where Stark sits in the market
We roast an everyday line: coffee for offices, vending, daily cafés and home kitchens that want a consistent cup at a price built for daily use. In the cup we aim to sit close to the Italian imports; on the invoice, close to supermarket private label. Not the best coffee in the world. Just good. Every cup, every day.
Questions we get from buyers
What is the minimum order for wholesale coffee beans?
The first tier starts at 10 kg per month. Below that you buy at retail prices in 250 g, 500 g and 1 kg bags.
Are wholesale prices quoted with or without VAT?
Business prices on this page are excl. 5% VAT. Retail prices on the site are shown incl. VAT. Always compare quotes on the same basis.
How often is coffee delivered?
Weekly, across the UAE. Every pack carries the roast date and best-before date.
Can I get whole bean and ground coffee?
Yes. Blends and origins come as whole bean or ground for your brewer, in 250 g, 500 g and 1 kg bags.
Do you supply capsules to offices?
Yes. Nespresso-compatible aluminium capsules, ten per box, one intensity per box. AED 24 per box excl. VAT, AED 22 on subscription.
What happens to the price if my volume changes?
The tier is fixed when the contract is signed and reviewed quarterly. If your volume grows into the next tier, the price moves down at the next review.
Tell us your monthly volume and brewing setup
We reply within one working day with a kilo price, a delivery day and a sample.