Italian coffee maestro, Café Barbera, is set to make its mark in the Saudi coffee market, announcing plans to open 10 branches across this year

Café Barbera, the renowned Italian coffee chain with a history dating back to 1870, has unveiled ambitious plans for expansion in Saudi Arabia through a strategic partnership with Dubai-based foodservice group Big Apple Sweets LLC. The collaboration aims to introduce the authentic Italian coffee experience to the Kingdom, with the first of 10 planned outlets set to open its doors in Riyadh in March 2024.

Enrico Barbera, the founder and CEO of Café Barbera, expressed his excitement about bringing the brand’s rich heritage to Riyadh, emphasizing the commitment to offering a genuine Italian coffee experience that resonates with the local community.

Having originated as a coffee roaster in 1870, Café Barbera ventured into the franchised coffee shop business in 2004 with its inaugural store in Dubai. The brand currently operates around 40 outlets across 18 markets, including eight stores in the UAE and presence in Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, and Jordan.

The move to expand in Saudi Arabia is strategic, given the country’s status as the largest branded coffee shop market in the Middle East. Projections indicate that the Saudi market is poised to surpass 5,350 outlets by 2027. Café Barbera joins other esteemed Italian coffee operators, such as Segafredo Zanetti, Caffè Vergnano 1882, and illycaffè, in establishing a notable presence in the flourishing Saudi coffee scene.