Dubai: DMCC has announced its intention to launch a Cacao Centre, a new trade platform designed to establish an integrated cacao trading, processing, and innovation ecosystem that will further position Dubai as a global hub for agri-commodities trade.
According to Emirates News Agency, the launch forms part of DMCC's broader expansion of its agri-food commodities offering, leveraging its proven cluster model that has already reshaped global trade flows in coffee and tea. DMCC currently hosts 88 companies active across cocoa trading, chocolate manufacturing, and confectionery.
The new Cacao Centre will bring this activity together within a more structured platform spanning the full value chain - from sourcing and processing through to branding, distribution, and access to finance. The Centre will be launched in partnership with Kumbi Cocoa and Ribezzi Group, aiming to evaluate the feasibility of establishing an integrated infrastructure in Dubai capable of storing, trading, and processing cacao beans into semi-finished products such as cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder.
The Cacao Centre will offer advanced infrastructure and services, including grading, storage, blending, branding, and packaging. These capabilities will be directly linked to trade finance solutions for cocoa boards, cooperatives, and farmers through DMCC's FinX platform, providing crucial tools in a market characterized by price volatility and liquidity constraints.
Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC, stated that the Cacao Centre is designed to capture more value closer to the origin while strengthening Dubai's role as a global hub for agri-commodities trade. Kwadwo Boachie-Adjei, Founder and CEO of Kumbi Cocoa, and Mauro Ribezzi, Founder of Ribezzi Group, highlighted the initiative's potential to set a new benchmark in the global cocoa market by integrating sourcing, logistics, trading, and processing across continents.
Globally, the cocoa market is projected to grow significantly, with the premium chocolate segment expected to expand driven by single-origin products, artisanal offerings, and health-conscious formats. In 2023, the UAE imported $17.3 million in raw cocoa beans and $65.3 million in finished chocolate and cocoa products, reflecting accelerating trade flows through Dubai.
The DMCC Cacao Centre is designed to bridge structural imbalances by directly connecting producers with global buyers, capital, and value-added services, supported by Dubai's strength in warehousing, blending, and structured trade finance, enabling a more resilient, transparent, and inclusive global cocoa trade.
