MAP IT FORWARD Middle East

MAP IT FORWARD

The Map It Forward Middle East Podcast explores the business of coffee across the Middle East, featuring conversations with entrepreneurs, producers, and professionals building the future of the region’s coffee industry. Hosted by Dubai-based Map It Forward founder Lee Safar, each five-episode series highlights one guest's journey, offering practical insights, regional context, and candid discussions that reflect the evolving global coffee landscape. Episodes are released daily at 6 am local UAE time. The video version of the podcast can be found on our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/mapitforward Our website https://www.mapitforward.coffee/middleeastpodcast

  1. 8h ago

    Coffee Consumers Are Changing. Is Your Business Ready for 2027? (Lee Safar) | EP1138 Part 3 of 5 (Map It Forward)

    Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Arcadia Green Coffee, Colombian coffee exporters taking fresh green coffee from Colombia to the world, farm to roastery, direct. New office now open in the UK.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 Episode Description This is part 3 of a new 5-part solo series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. In this final solo series of 2026, Lee explores why 2027 could be an exceptionally unpredictable year for coffee and what businesses across the global supply chain need to do to prepare. In this episode, Lee focuses on the consumer and why coffee businesses can no longer assume that customers will continue absorbing rising prices. After years of inflation, household debt, and mounting cost-of-living pressures, consumers are adjusting their spending habits. Some are visiting cafés less frequently, brewing more coffee at home, switching to more affordable brands, or looking for different products that better suit their budgets and preferences. At the same time, coffee businesses are facing rising operating expenses, from rent and energy to financing and labour. Lee explains why concentrating exclusively on green coffee prices overlooks the wider financial pressures affecting profitability. She also challenges coffee businesses to reconsider their assumptions about consumer preferences, including growing demand for blends, darker roasts, and more accessible coffee products. Rather than expecting customers to adapt to the products businesses want to sell, Lee encourages owners to understand their customers as they are today, not as they were when the business first opened. The episode offers a practical framework for navigating changing consumer behaviour, including stronger communication plans, customer acquisition and retargeting strategies, reviewing product mix and pricing, and building the agility to respond quickly when market conditions change. Central to the discussion is Map It Forward's mission to help build responsible businesses with responsible pricing models. Lee explains why listening to customers, living within your means, and creating value across your business ecosystem could make the difference in 2027. Connect with Lee Safar and Map It Forward: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leesafar/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leesafar Map It Forward: https://mapitforward.coffee If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    Coffee Consumers Are Changing. Is Your Business Ready for 2027? (Lee Safar) | EP1138 Part 3 of 5 (Map It Forward)
  2. 1d ago

    Why Coffee Businesses Should Rethink Risk in 2027 (Lee Safar) | EP1137 Part 2 of 5 (Map It Forward)

    Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business. Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com Episode Description This is part 2 of a new 5-part solo series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. In this series, Lee examines why 2027 could be an exceptionally challenging year for the global coffee industry and what businesses can do to prepare for uncertainty. In this episode, Lee challenges the increasingly popular mindset that businesses need to take big risks to achieve big rewards. She explains why understanding financial exposure, reducing unnecessary risk, and strengthening relationships across the coffee supply chain could be essential to surviving 2027. Drawing on the Benecke Coffee insolvency, Lee explores the vulnerabilities within coffee's commercial structures, including bank financing, margin calls, credit terms, delayed payments, hedging, insurance, working capital, and contractual obligations. She explains how financing and risk are frequently passed between businesses across the supply chain, from importers financing green coffee to roasters extending credit to cafés, and why financial distress at one point can have consequences for everyone connected to that business. Lee also encourages coffee professionals to understand the financial health of their customers, suppliers, and other commercial partners, recognise early signs of distress, and carefully review contracts and financing arrangements. Central to this discussion is Map It Forward's philosophy of conspiring to each other's success. Lee explains why building transparent, mutually supportive business ecosystems, sharing risk responsibly, and prioritising cooperation over destructive competition could be among the most important strategies for navigating 2027. The episode closes with a caution about pursuing business growth without substantial financial reserves in an uncertain market. Connect with Lee Safar and Map It Forward: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leesafar/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leesafar Map It Forward: https://mapitforward.coffee If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    Why Coffee Businesses Should Rethink Risk in 2027 (Lee Safar) | EP1137 Part 2 of 5 (Map It Forward)
  3. 2d ago

    Why 2027 Could Be Coffee's Most Challenging Year (Lee Safar) | EP1136 Part 1 of 5 (Map It Forward)

    Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Cropster, technology built by coffee people to help coffee businesses manage more of their workflow, from contracts and costs to inventory, roasting, quality control, fulfillment, and café intelligence. Learn more at: https://hubs.la/Q04w4bKG0 Episode Description This is part 1 of a new 5-part solo series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. In this final solo series of 2026, Lee examines why she believes 2027 could be an exceptionally unpredictable year for coffee businesses across the global supply chain. Lee revisits her prediction that 2026 would deliver a different financial reckoning for every coffee business, depending on how it had been built and managed. She now believes 2027 could be the year the industry has to pay that bill. The episode examines seven significant pressures facing the industry: climate disruption, unreliable market forecasts, rapid technological change, geopolitical instability, consumer spending pressures, record debt, and increasingly desperate business practices. Lee also discusses the importance of verifying information, protecting businesses from scams and exploitation, evaluating technology investments carefully, and understanding the effects of economic and geopolitical uncertainty. The central message is that coffee professionals need to understand the risks ahead and prepare their businesses for a year in which familiar assumptions may no longer hold. Connect with Lee Safar and Map It Forward: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leesafar/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leesafar Map It Forward: https://mapitforward.coffee If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    Why 2027 Could Be Coffee's Most Challenging Year (Lee Safar) | EP1136 Part 1 of 5 (Map It Forward)
  4. 5d ago

    New Coffee Farming Models for the Next Generation (Felipe Croce & David Bray) | EP1135 Part 5 of 5 (Map It Forward)

    Advertising SponsorWant to join our Map It Forward Monthly Community Discussion Group? Head to https://patreon.com/mapitforward to join the community by signing up for the "Roasted Coffee" tier for 20 USD per month. Find other like-minded people in the coffee industry. This community is open to all stakeholders in the coffee industry Episode Description This is part 5 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests on the podcast for this series are Felipe Croce from FAF Coffees in Brazil and David Bray from Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters in Ireland, co-founders of The Common Ground Collective. The theme of this series is A New Way of Building Coffee Supply Chains. What would success look like for a coffee supply chain built around shared risk, regenerative agriculture, and long-term commercial partnerships? In the final episode of this series, Felipe and David explain how they intend to measure the success of The Common Ground Collective over the next five, ten, and twenty years. David reflects on how becoming a production partner has changed his understanding of coffee supply chains and why he believes meaningful relationships between producers and roasters require more than traditional sourcing arrangements. Both founders explain that their ambition isn't necessarily to build an increasingly large organisation, but to explore whether their approach could become an adaptable model for other farmers, roasters, and exporters. The conversation explores the potential for regenerative agriculture to improve farming systems, the importance of commercial stability, and the opportunity to encourage younger generations to pursue careers in coffee production. David also shares how Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters is working toward sourcing 100% of its coffee from regenerative or agroforestry systems by 2030, compared with the approximately 60% he reports today. Felipe discusses the financial and agricultural measures they're developing to assess the project's performance, including production yields, costs, coffee quality, and how farming practices can influence the final cup. The series concludes with both founders reflecting on what they hope future generations will take from their work and why creating alternatives to existing coffee supply-chain models matters for the industry's long-term future. Connect with Felipe Croce, David Bray, and The Common Ground Collective: The Common Ground Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecommongroundcollectivecgc/ FAF Coffees: https://www.instagram.com/fafcoffees/ Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters: https://www.instagram.com/bluebutterflyireland/ Felipe Croce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-croce-42180829b David Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bray-53731b6b/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    New Coffee Farming Models for the Next Generation (Felipe Croce & David Bray) | EP1135 Part 5 of 5 (Map It Forward)
  5. 6d ago

    Why Coffee Roasters Need to Understand Farming (Felipe Croce & David Bray) | EP1714 Part 4 of 5 (Map It Forward)

    Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business. Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com Episode Description This is part 4 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests on the podcast for this series are Felipe Croce from FAF Coffees in Brazil and David Bray from Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters in Ireland, co-founders of The Common Ground Collective. The theme of this series is A New Way of Building Coffee Supply Chains. What problems could be solved if coffee producers and roasters took greater responsibility for the entire supply chain? In this episode, Felipe and David explore how The Common Ground Collective could address the disconnect between coffee producers and consuming markets, improve access to investment for long-term agricultural development, and create stronger commercial relationships between farmers and roasters. Felipe challenges the way specialty coffee communicates value, arguing that the industry relies too heavily on repetitive technical information while missing opportunities to explain the people, farming practices, and decisions behind the coffee. David introduces the idea of looking at coffee's qualities rather than focusing exclusively on cup scores, including soil health, farm viability, and the conditions required to produce the final product. The discussion also explores how shared ownership could change purchasing decisions, encourage roasters to take greater responsibility for the coffee they produce, and create more meaningful relationships with consumers. Felipe explains how regenerative farming systems may also change the economics of production by reducing dependence on purchased agricultural inputs and directing more spending toward local labour and farm management. They conclude by considering why the value proposition for coffee consumers needs to evolve if the industry wants to build sustainable businesses over the long term. Connect with Felipe Croce, David Bray, and The Common Ground Collective: The Common Ground Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecommongroundcollectivecgc/ FAF Coffees: https://www.instagram.com/fafcoffees/ Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters: https://www.instagram.com/bluebutterflyireland/ Felipe Croce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-croce-42180829b David Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bray-53731b6b/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    Why Coffee Roasters Need to Understand Farming (Felipe Croce & David Bray) | EP1714 Part 4 of 5 (Map It Forward)
  6. Oct 28

    Can Coffee Prices Be Set Without the C Market? (Felipe Croce & David Bray) | EP1713 Part 3 of 5 (Map It Forward)

    Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Arcadia Green Coffee, Colombian coffee exporters taking fresh green coffee from Colombia to the world, farm to roastery, direct. New office now open in the UK.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 Episode Description This is part 3 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests on the podcast for this series are Felipe Croce from FAF Coffees in Brazil and David Bray from Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters in Ireland, co-founders of The Common Ground Collective. The theme of this series is A New Way of Building Coffee Supply Chains. What changes when coffee farmers, exporters, and roasters begin working together before the coffee is even grown? In this episode, Felipe and David explore how The Common Ground Collective could fundamentally change the way their supply chains operate, from production planning and financing to pricing, traceability, and risk management. David explains how becoming involved at the farm level gives roasters an opportunity to participate in decisions about production, quality, investment, and market access much earlier than traditional sourcing relationships allow. Felipe discusses the importance of predictable business relationships, building slowly with aligned partners, and creating a stronger value proposition for consumers through regenerative agriculture and greater transparency. The conversation then turns to one of the most significant aspects of their proposed business model: determining coffee prices using actual production costs and business fundamentals rather than relying primarily on movements in the C market. They also explain their plans to track financial performance, share profits, and navigate the practical challenges of international coffee trade. Finally, Lee, Felipe, and David consider what happens when things go wrong, including crop losses, extreme weather, and the financial consequences of sharing risk across producers, roasters, and farm workers. The Common Ground Collective remains an evolving experiment, but its founders are working toward a supply-chain model built on shared responsibility, greater predictability, and long-term commercial relationships. Connect with Felipe Croce, David Bray, and The Common Ground Collective: The Common Ground Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecommongroundcollectivecgc/ FAF Coffees: https://www.instagram.com/fafcoffees/ Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters: https://www.instagram.com/bluebutterflyireland/ Felipe Croce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-croce-42180829b David Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bray-53731b6b/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    Can Coffee Prices Be Set Without the C Market? (Felipe Croce & David Bray) | EP1713 Part 3 of 5 (Map It Forward)
  7. Oct 27

    How Farmers and Roasters Can Build Coffee Businesses Together (Felipe Croce & David Bray) | EP1712 Part 2 of 5 (Map It Forward)

    Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business. Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com Episode Description This is part 2 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests on the podcast for this series are Felipe Croce from FAF Coffees in Brazil and David Bray from Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters in Ireland, co-founders of The Common Ground Collective. The theme of this series is A New Way of Building Coffee Supply Chains. What happens when a coffee roaster becomes a partner in growing the coffee rather than simply buying it? In this episode, Felipe and David explain how The Common Ground Collective is being developed as a 15-year partnership built around shared investment, shared production risk, regenerative agriculture, and the potential to share returns from both green and roasted coffee. They take us inside their initial 2.5-hectare agroforestry project in Brazil, where approximately 4,000 coffee trees per hectare are being grown alongside more than 1,500 trees representing 20 different species. Felipe explains the importance of building healthy soil, restoring biological systems, and creating productive agroforestry systems that can also be managed efficiently. The conversation also introduces a significant aspect of their model: from the first productive harvest, the farm team is expected to receive 40% of the crop, while Felipe and David share the remaining 60%. They discuss the financial realities of a long-term farming partnership, their intended sales channels in Brazil and Ireland, and why creating alternative approaches to production and pricing could help coffee businesses manage future supply and market volatility. The project remains a working experiment, but its founders believe it could provide valuable lessons for the wider coffee industry. Connect with Felipe Croce, David Bray, and The Common Ground Collective: The Common Ground Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecommongroundcollectivecgc/ FAF Coffees: https://www.instagram.com/fafcoffees/ Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters: https://www.instagram.com/bluebutterflyireland/ Felipe Croce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-croce-42180829b David Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bray-53731b6b/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    How Farmers and Roasters Can Build Coffee Businesses Together (Felipe Croce & David Bray) | EP1712 Part 2 of 5 (Map It Forward)
  8. Oct 26

    Why Coffee Needs a New Supply Chain Model (Felipe Croce & David Bray) | EP1131 Part 1 of 5 (Map It Forward)

    Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Cropster, technology built by coffee people to help coffee businesses manage more of their workflow, from contracts and costs to inventory, roasting, quality control, fulfillment, and café intelligence. Learn more at: https://hubs.la/Q04w4bKG0 Episode Description This is part 1 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests on the podcast for this series are Felipe Croce from FAF Coffees in Brazil and David Bray from Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters in Ireland, co-founders of The Common Ground Collective. The theme of this series is A New Way of Building Coffee Supply Chains. In this first episode, Felipe and David explain how their collaboration began, what motivated them to explore a different approach to coffee production and trading, and why regenerative agriculture and agroforestry sit at the centre of their thinking. David shares how his experiences in Brazil, combined with growing concerns about coffee price volatility and climate risk, led him to contact Felipe. Felipe explains why FAF Coffees has been exploring new farming systems and why the opportunity to collaborate with a roaster interested in long-term relationships was particularly compelling. Together, they discuss moving beyond transactional producer-roaster relationships, building greater stability into coffee trading, and creating supply chains that work for everyone involved. This conversation introduces the thinking behind The Common Ground Collective. In part 2, we'll explore how the initiative is intended to work. Connect with Felipe Croce, David Bray, and The Common Ground Collective: The Common Ground Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecommongroundcollectivecgc/ FAF Coffees: https://www.instagram.com/fafcoffees/ Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters: https://www.instagram.com/bluebutterflyireland/ Felipe Croce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-croce-42180829b David Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bray-53731b6b/ If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series. *************************************** About Map It Forward The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain. Website: https://mapitforward.coffee Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward ‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward‍ ‍ CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    Why Coffee Needs a New Supply Chain Model (Felipe Croce & David Bray) | EP1131 Part 1 of 5 (Map It Forward)

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5 Ratings

About

The Map It Forward Middle East Podcast explores the business of coffee across the Middle East, featuring conversations with entrepreneurs, producers, and professionals building the future of the region’s coffee industry. Hosted by Dubai-based Map It Forward founder Lee Safar, each five-episode series highlights one guest's journey, offering practical insights, regional context, and candid discussions that reflect the evolving global coffee landscape. Episodes are released daily at 6 am local UAE time. The video version of the podcast can be found on our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/mapitforward Our website https://www.mapitforward.coffee/middleeastpodcast