DMCC has announced its intention to launch a Cacao Centre, a platform designed to establish a cacao trading, processing and innovation ecosystem in Dubai.
The move forms part of DMCC’s expansion of its agri-food commodities offering. The organisation said it is leveraging the cluster model it has used in coffee and tea. DMCC currently hosts 88 companies active across cocoa trading, chocolate manufacturing and confectionery.
The Cacao Centre will bring this activity together within a platform spanning the value chain, from sourcing and processing through to branding, distribution and access to finance.
DMCC partners with Kumbi Cocoa, Ribezzi Group to build Dubai Cacao trading hub
The Centre will be launched in partnership with Kumbi Cocoa, which focuses on building relationships with farming cooperatives, and Ribezzi Group, a conglomerate headquartered in Dubai, which will lead development and execution.
The three parties will evaluate the feasibility of establishing 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 aim is to serve markets outside the UAE while addressing efficiency, transparency and value creation across the cocoa supply chain.
The platform will offer infrastructure and services including grading, storage, blending, branding and packaging. These capabilities will be linked to trade finance solutions for cocoa boards, cooperatives and farmers through DMCC’s FinX platform, providing tools in a market defined by price volatility and liquidity constraints.
“Cocoa today is not only about production, but about how value is structured, financed and distributed across the supply chain. With the DMCC Cacao Centre, we are building a platform around that reality. By bringing together producers, traders, manufacturers and capital within a single platform, we are creating the conditions for more value to be captured closer to origin while strengthening Dubai’s role as a global hub for agri-commodities trade. This is a natural extension of our cluster model and the next step in positioning Dubai at the centre of global food and commodities flows,” Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC said in a statement.
“Kumbi Cocoa’s mission has always been to build transparent and equitable supply chains that directly connect farmers with global markets. As a strategic partner to DMCC, we are proud to support the development of infrastructure that benefits growers while delivering high-quality, traceable cocoa to international markets,” Kwadwo Boachie-Adjei, Founder and CEO, Kumbi Cocoa added.
“The global cocoa market is evolving rapidly, and this initiative reflects a forward-looking approach to commodity infrastructure. By integrating sourcing, logistics, trading and processing across continents, the Cacao Centre has the potential to become a new benchmark and a catalyst for the industry,” Mauro Ribezzi, Founder, Ribezzi Group further explained
The cocoa market was valued at approximately USD 16.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $26.2 billion by 2035. The premium chocolate segment, driven by single-origin products, artisanal offerings and health-conscious formats, is expected to grow from $31.9 billion in 2024 to $40.6 billion by 2030.
Dubai’s role in the cocoa trade remains at an early stage but is supported by growth indicators. In 2023, the UAE imported $17.3 million in raw cocoa beans and $65.3 million in finished chocolate and cocoa products. Exports of raw beans reached $16.4 million, positioning the UAE as the 28th-largest exporter globally. These figures reflect accelerating trade flows across both upstream raw materials and downstream finished goods through Dubai.
West African producers account for roughly three-quarters of cocoa output yet capture only a fraction of end-market value. DMCC said the Cacao Centre is designed to bridge this gap by connecting producers with buyers, capital and value-added services.
Dubai’s capacity in warehousing, blending and structured trade finance will act as a trade stabiliser, supported by investments in temperature-controlled logistics to safeguard quality and reduce loss. The model brings infrastructure, services and capital into a single platform, with the stated aim of enabling a more resilient and inclusive cocoa trade.
