MAP IT FORWARD Middle East

MAP IT FORWARD
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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. EP 1022 Part 2 of 5 | How Smart Coffee Businesses Decide What to Grow (Nawar Adra) | Map It Forward

    16H AGO

    EP 1022 Part 2 of 5 | How Smart Coffee Businesses Decide What to Grow (Nawar Adra) | Map It Forward

    Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Map It Forward Podcast Advertising. Interested in advertising on this podcast. Email support@mapitforward.org to learn more. Episode Description This is episode 2 of a 5-part series with Stitch Coffee founder, Nawar Adra, and Map It Forward Founder, Lee Safar. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we’re discussing what it takes to expand a coffee business in this economy, and in this episode we focus on one of the hardest parts of growth: deciding what actually deserves more investment. Nawar explains that growth decisions become clearer when operators stop thinking romantically and start reading the business properly. He talks through how Stitch looks at years of P&L history, margin pressure, department-level performance, and real market adoption before deciding where to keep pushing and where to stop. The conversation moves through RTDs, drip bags, steeped coffee, and why some products fail not because they’re bad, but because the market infrastructure isn’t there yet. Lee and Nawar also discuss why great operators need to study brands outside coffee, how strategy becomes sharper with maturity, and why sequence matters in growth. This is a practical episode about data, product discipline, and getting honest enough to cut what isn’t working so you can back what is. Connect with Nawar Adra and Stitch Coffee here: - https://www.instagram.com/stitch.coffee/ - https://stitch.coffee/ - https://www.instagram.com/nawar.adra/ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nawar-adra-12909516a/ 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. In the next episode, we explore how global geopolitics is impacting food supply chains. *************************************** 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    27 min
  2. EP 1601 Part 1 of 5 | Growing a Coffee Brand When the Economy Tightens (Nawar Adra) | Map It Forward

    1D AGO

    EP 1601 Part 1 of 5 | Growing a Coffee Brand When the Economy Tightens (Nawar Adra) | 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.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 Episode Description This is episode 1 of a 5-part series with Stitch Coffee founder, Nawar Adra, and Map It Forward Founder, Lee Safar. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we’re discussing what it takes to expand a coffee business in this economy without pretending the crisis isn’t real. In this first conversation, Lee and Nawar unpack why Stitch Coffee didn’t respond to pressure by retreating. Instead, Nawar explains how the business used timing, brand clarity, and a deep understanding of consumer behavior to grow while many operators were just trying to survive. The conversation is grounded in real decisions: investing in packaging when others thought it was frivolous, treating retail as a strategic growth lever, and building experiences that make customers feel something tangible when they interact with the brand online or in store. They also explore why the Queen Victoria Building site became such an important turning point for Stitch, what Nawar looks for in high-potential locations, and why the combination of tourists, locals, and business customers matters so much when choosing where to grow. This episode is a practical conversation about brand recognition, retail mix, confidence, and how to move when the market is tight but the opportunity is real. Connect with Nawar Adra and Stitch Coffee here: - https://www.instagram.com/stitch.coffee/ - https://stitch.coffee/ - https://www.instagram.com/nawar.adra/ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nawar-adra-12909516a/ 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. In the next episode, we explore how global geopolitics is impacting food supply chains. *************************************** 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    29 min
  3. EP 1020 Part 5 of 5 | Why “Specialty Coffee” Is Failing as a Value Proposition (Isabela Raposeiras)

    4D AGO

    EP 1020 Part 5 of 5 | Why “Specialty Coffee” Is Failing as a Value Proposition (Isabela Raposeiras)

    Advertising SponsorNeed help with your business? Email us: support@mapitforward.org to learn more. Episode Description This is episode 5 of a 5-part series with Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab Brazil. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we’ve been discussing leadership, hospitality, workplace culture, and the future of coffee businesses. In this final episode, host Lee Safar and Isabela ask a difficult but important question: Why is “specialty coffee” failing as a value proposition? This conversation challenges many of the systems, assumptions, and power structures that have shaped the global specialty coffee industry over the last two decades. Lee and Isabela explore whether the modern specialty coffee movement has drifted away from its original intention of creating a more equitable and values-driven coffee supply chain, and whether it has instead recreated many of the same extractionist behaviors it originally claimed to oppose. The discussion looks at who gets to define “quality coffee,” why producing countries are increasingly challenging Western-centric definitions of specialty coffee, and how organizations like the SCA and CVA continue shaping industry standards without adequately including the voices of producers and producing countries. Isabela also argues that “specialty coffee” is not simply a product category, it’s a cultural and political concept, and that unless the industry becomes more inclusive, more self-aware, and more willing to redistribute power, it risks losing credibility altogether. This is one of the most direct, provocative, and important conversations we’ve had on the podcast in a long time. Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab here: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/ https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/ 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. In the next episode, we explore how global geopolitics is impacting food supply chains. *************************************** 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    41 min
  4. EP 1019 Part 4 of 5 | Why Old Leadership Models Are Failing (Isabela Raposeiras)

    5D AGO

    EP 1019 Part 4 of 5 | Why Old Leadership Models Are Failing (Isabela Raposeiras)

    Advertising SponsorIf you find value in what we do at Map It Forward and would like to work with us or support the business, here are a few ways to get involved: • Work with us as your business advisors — support@mapitforward.org • Advertise on the podcast — support@mapitforward.org • Join our Patreon community — https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward • Subscribe to our YouTube channel — https://www.youtube.com/mapitforward • Or share this episode with someone who would benefit from it Episode Description This is episode 4 of a 5-part series with Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab Brazil. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we’re discussing what’s changing about leading coffee businesses and why many of the assumptions that built specialty coffee may no longer be serving the industry, or the people working inside it. In this episode, host Lee Safar and Isabela explore what’s fundamentally changed about leading people in hospitality and coffee businesses over the last decade. The conversation examines how younger generations entering the workforce are asking different questions about work, identity, balance, dignity, and leadership, and why many older leadership models are struggling to adapt. Lee and Isabela discuss the emotional labor of leadership, why businesses can no longer rely on fear, pressure, or hierarchy to retain staff, and how the economic and social realities facing younger workers are reshaping expectations around employment altogether. Isabela also shares why empathy, communication, and flexibility are becoming essential leadership skills in hospitality, and why many businesses are still resisting the reality that workplace culture now matters just as much as pay. This episode is a thoughtful conversation about leadership evolution, generational change, emotional responsibility, and the future of work in coffee businesses. Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab here: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/ https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/ 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. In the next episode, we explore how global geopolitics is impacting food supply chains. *************************************** 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    24 min
  5. EP 1018 Part 3 of 5 | What Actually Matters When Leading People? (Isabela Raposeiras)

    6D AGO

    EP 1018 Part 3 of 5 | What Actually Matters When Leading People? (Isabela Raposeiras)

    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 to the "Roasted Coffee" tier for 20 USD per month. Find other like-minded people in the coffee industry. Episode Description This is episode 3 of a 5-part series with Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab Brazil. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we’re discussing what’s changing about leading coffee businesses and why many of the systems, assumptions, and structures that built specialty coffee may no longer be serving the industry, or the people working in it. In this episode, host Lee Safar, and Isabela explore what the real priorities should be when leading people in coffee businesses today. The conversation challenges many of the traditional leadership models still dominating hospitality and café culture, particularly the belief that pressure, hierarchy, and burnout are simply part of building successful businesses. Lee and Isabela discuss the responsibility leaders have to create psychologically safe workplaces, why emotional intelligence matters more than ever, and how many business owners still underestimate the impact leadership behavior has on staff retention, communication, and workplace culture. Isabela also shares how Coffee Lab has approached leadership differently, why dignity and respect must be central to managing teams, and why younger generations entering the workforce are demanding something very different from previous generations. This episode is a direct conversation about leadership, workplace culture, emotional responsibility, and the future of hospitality businesses. Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab here: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/ https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/ 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. In the next episode, we explore how global geopolitics is impacting food supply chains. *************************************** 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    23 min
  6. EP 1017 Part 2 of 5 | Are Coffee Businesses Stuck in the Past? (Isabela Raposeiras)

    MAY 19

    EP 1017 Part 2 of 5 | Are Coffee Businesses Stuck in the Past? (Isabela Raposeiras)

    Advertising SponsorThis episode is brought to you by Map It Forward Podcast Advertising. Interested in advertising on this podcast. Email support@mapitforward.org to learn more. Episode Description This is episode 2 of a 5-part series with Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab Brazil. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we’re discussing what’s changing about leading coffee businesses and why many of the systems, assumptions, and structures that built specialty coffee may no longer be serving the industry. In this episode, host Lee Safar and Isabela explore whether the coffee industry is still building businesses based on outdated ideas of success, leadership, and café culture. The conversation looks at how many coffee businesses continue to copy business models, café experiences, and operational structures from decades ago without questioning whether those systems still make sense for today’s consumers, workforce, and economy. Lee and Isabela discuss the tension between tradition and innovation, why so many café businesses continue chasing the same formulas despite increasing instability, and how fear, ego, and industry conformity prevent many operators from adapting. Isabela also explains why newer coffee-producing and consuming countries are beginning to challenge the traditional Western idea of what a coffee business should look like, and why that shift may ultimately redefine the future of quality coffee globally. This episode is a direct conversation about innovation, leadership, culture, and whether the coffee industry is brave enough to evolve. Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab here: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/ https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/ 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. In the next episode, we explore how global geopolitics is impacting food supply chains. *************************************** 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    23 min
  7. EP 1016 Part 1 of 5 | Why Specialty Coffee Keeps Alienating Consumers (Isabela Raposeiras)

    MAY 18

    EP 1016 Part 1 of 5 | Why Specialty Coffee Keeps Alienating Consumers (Isabela Raposeiras)

    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.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523 Episode Description This is episode 1 of a 5-part series with Isabela Raposeiras, founder of Coffee Lab Brazil. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we’re discussing what’s changing about leading coffee businesses and why many of the systems, language, and assumptions that built specialty coffee may no longer be serving the industry—or the consumer. In this episode, podcast host Lee Safar and Isabela explore what the coffee industry is getting wrong about managing quality coffee businesses around the world. The conversation challenges one of the biggest assumptions in coffee: that consumers simply “don’t understand quality coffee.” Isabela argues that the problem may not be the consumer at all, it may be the industry’s inability to communicate value in ways that feel welcoming, inclusive, and relevant. Lee and Isabela discuss how specialty coffee has often created environments that unintentionally alienate consumers through arrogance, overcomplication, and judgment-based culture. They explore why many cafés still prioritize proving expertise over creating connection, and how this disconnect is contributing to consumers walking away from specialty coffee experiences. Isabela also explains why she no longer likes using the term “specialty coffee,” preferring instead to focus on “quality coffee” and hospitality-led experiences that invite consumers into coffee rather than making them feel excluded from it. This episode is a direct and thoughtful conversation about ego, hospitality, consumer behavior, and why coffee businesses may need to rethink the way they define and communicate quality moving forward. Connect with Isabela Raposeiras and Coffee Lab here: https://www.instagram.com/coffeelab_br/ https://www.instagram.com/isabela.raposeiras/ 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. In the next episode, we explore how global geopolitics is impacting food supply chains. *************************************** 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    25 min
  8. EP 1015 Part 5 of 5 | How to Run a Leaner Coffee Business (Jan-Cort Hoban)

    MAY 15

    EP 1015 Part 5 of 5 | How to Run a Leaner Coffee Business (Jan-Cort Hoban)

    Advertising SponsorNeed help with your business? Email us: support@mapitforward.org to learn more. Episode Description This is episode 5 of a 5-part series with Jan-Cort Hoban, founder of Mr. Hoban’s Coffee Roastery in Germany. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we’ve been discussing the myth of being big in the coffee business and exploring whether leaner, more intentional businesses may actually be better positioned for the future of coffee. In this final episode, Lee and Jan-Cort explore how business owners can practically begin running leaner businesses in an increasingly volatile economy. The conversation moves beyond theory and into implementation—looking at downsizing, simplifying operations, reducing unnecessary overhead, and reconnecting with the original purpose behind building a coffee business. Jan-Cort explains why many businesses may already be operating beyond what is financially or emotionally sustainable, and why now may be the right time to reassess whether growth is still serving the business or simply feeding ego and external expectations. Lee and Jan-Cort also discuss the pressure being created by inflation, rising interest rates, geopolitical instability, coffee scarcity, and changing consumer behavior—and why operators who remain agile and connected to their communities may ultimately be better equipped to survive. This episode is about taking back control of your business before external pressure takes that choice away from you. Connect with Jan-Cort Hoban and Mr. Hoban’s Coffee Roastery here: • https://www.instagram.com/mr.hobans/ • https://www.mrhoban.com/ 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. In the next episode, we explore how global geopolitics is impacting food supply chains. *************************************** 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/ Contact: support@mapitforward.org

    25 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 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

Information

  • Creator
    MAP IT FORWARD
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    301
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 MAP IT FORWARD | All Rights Reserved 512477
  • Show Website
    MAP IT FORWARD Middle East