Barista brings authentic Italian coffee experience to the UAE

Barista is a joint venture between the UAE's Star Retail, part of the Al Ghurair Group and KAPICO Holdings of Kuwait, which is part of the Al Ghannam Group.

Situated on the ground level of the mall, the owners have taken great care in creating an environment that induces relaxation, inspires romanticism and awakens the senses with exotic flavours. Srinidhi Rao, General Manager for Barista Middle East, said: "Barista can trace its roots back to the old coffee houses of Italy - the breeding ground of poetry, love, music, writing, revolution and of course, fine coffee."

"Each of our cafés is created to reflect the ambience, warmth, hospitality and comfort of Italy. In addition, we have employed the finest roastmasters, to ensure that our customers experience the 'true joy of coffee'."

Barista Espresso prepares its coffee using an ancient method of medium roasting and cold blending according to Venetian tradition. Barista Brew Masters are commissioned from Italy to create the exquisite blends. Each café proudly boasts handcrafted coffee, which means that each individual cup is as fresh as the day the beans were first roasted.

Barista is the term used to describe the person who makes the coffee. Staff at Barista cafés always uses the 'espresso' method to make any coffee drink, as the delicate pressure expertly extracts the aromatic flavour and oils of each bean.

Says Bernardo Della Mea, the world's leading roastmaster and developer of Barista coffee, "Coffee served at Barista comprises the finest blends from Venice and is made from 100% fine quality Arabica beans. Barista is not only synonymous with superior coffee, its cafés are renowned for their social atmosphere that brings friends together again and again."

However, décor and product are best complemented with a service that matches the quality of ones surroundings, something that Barista as a brand believes wholeheartedly. Baristas go through a rigorous three-week training course to ensure that they understand the fine art of 'espresso'.

"We believe, that as lifestyles evolve and eating habits change, specialty coffees are poised for an impressive growth across borders. And here at Barista Coffee we're geared for it. We want our customer to experience something different," concluded Rao.

With more than 400 billion cups of coffee consumed each year, coffee is second only to oil on the commodities market, and is the world's most popular beverage. Consumers are constantly evolving, and demand innovative products that heighten experiences and broaden horizons.