UK-based speciality coffee roaster and café chain Grind has teamed up with the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Gulf Franchise Group to launch in Middle Eastern countries, World Coffee Portal has reported.

The Gulf Franchise Group is a franchise advisory group that specialises in the foodservice industry.

It is currently exploring partnerships with luxury retail and restaurant operators in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Grind CEO David Abrahamovitch stated: “I'm incredibly excited to bring Grind to the Middle East, one of the world's leading coffee cultures. After building the brand in the UK and now having gained some traction in the US, the Middle East is the next major frontier for Grind and our next key focus.

“We already see significant demand in the region for Grind at Home, and we can't wait to bring the Grind coffee experience to the people of the Middle East.”

The development comes after Grind secured a £15m ($19.11m) investment to expand its coffee products for home use and finance the acquisition of Bottleshot Coffee in March 2023.

Annie Mitchell and Leonora Berend from Bottleshot led Grind's entry into ready-to-drink coffee.

Efforts extended into grocery stores and supermarkets, covering canned coffee, coffee pods, beans and ground coffee.

Grind has 11 outlets and three coffee carts across London providing coffee, cocktails and all-day dining.

It also manages a direct-to-consumer retail channel, featuring subscriptions for coffee at home and workplace.

The Gulf Franchise Group, founded in 2020, manages a portfolio of 12 brands including Joe & The Juice, Crosstown and Jones the Grocer.