Australian specialty roaster ONA Coffee is set to make its international debut with the opening of a new venue in Dubai in 2025.
Founded in Canberra in 2008, ONA Coffee has five flagship locations in Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and supplies coffee to retailers and café partners across Australia and internationally.
Sales and Marketing Director Matthew Lewin says ONA Dubai represents a long-held vision to share the roaster’s approach to coffee with its community.
“Dubai’s coffee culture has grown rapidly over the past few years, and there’s an evolved understanding about the world of specialty coffee. Over the past few years, we’ve worked with partners in the region who share our values and understand what ONA is about,” he says.
Matthew adds the expansion is about creating something unique and that is authentic to both ONA and Dubai.
“It’s about building connections, sharing knowledge, and introducing a space to continue elevating coffee experiences, one cup, one person at a time,” he says.
The 10,000 square-feet venue will feature a coffee program to highlight ONA’s coffee producing partners, frozen reserve coffee menus, and avant garde brewing methods
Additionally, a sensory room will offer a curated coffee menu, guiding guests through a refined and structured tasting experience; “like coffee omakase”.
The venue will also include a retail area where customers can purchase brewing tools, on-site freshly roasted coffee, and merchandise. Meanwhile, a tailored menu created by ONA’s chefs will complement the coffee offerings.
Finally, the venue will feature an on-site roaster to support wholesale operations with other cafés and businesses across the United Arab Emirates and Middle East.
ONA Dubai will open in stages, with the initial focus on creating a customer centric experience. And as the venue evolves, ONA plans to expand into wholesale distribution of roasted coffee.
“This stepped approach will allow us to adapt and grow in a way that is sustainable and thoughtful,” says Matthew.
“When ONA Dubai opens its doors in 2025, it will represent everything we’ve worked towards – to further realise our vision on the global stage. It’s more than just a new venue: it’s a complete end-to-end coffee experience to bring ONA to the Middle East.”
He adds that 2025 is a milestone year for ONA, as the company celebrates both the 10th anniversary of its Raspberry Candy blend and Founder Sasa Sestic’s World Barista Championship 2015 title.
“This is set to be our biggest year yet, where we celebrate everything we’ve built over the past 15 years, take bold steps forward, and continue adding value to the coffee community and industry as a whole. Dubai represents the next chapter in our story and we couldn’t be more excited,” says Matthew.
