Brewing Change: The Rise of the Specialty Coffee Market in Iraq

Iraq's coffee culture was primarily influenced by Turkish coffee traditions until 2019.

However, in the south of Iraq, remnants of the traditional Arabic coffee culture still existed, reflecting the heritage once widespread in the Arab world and Iraq itself. The mainstream The market, however, became a direct copy of Turkish coffee practices, utilizing the dallah (which refers to “ traditional Arabic coffee pot” in English)​​ and relying heavily on commercial, cheap Brazilian coffee, mainly from the Rio region. These coffees were roasted extremely dark to mask the undesirable attributes of low-quality beans and then sold to customers. As a result, a new trend of flavored coffee began emerging in the market. French coffee, which incorporates non-dairy creamer to balance the bitterness of heavily roasted beans, became

popular. Alongside this, various flavored coffees, such as the widely consumed pistachio coffee, started gaining traction. Historically, traditional cafés in Iraq mainly served Turkish-brewed coffee. Until 2016, espresso was primarily made with the same commercial-grade coffee, often pre-ground, leading to a flat, oxidized taste. The market grew slowly but steadily, with several commercial coffee brands entering Iraq through local suppliers. Lavazza, for instance, secured a strong B2B presence in the country. However, the real transformation began only in recent years. The introduction of specialty coffee was a gradual process, requiring education and investment. Additionally, official distributors for famous coffee tools have emerged, making high-quality brewing equipment more accessible to professionals and enthusiasts alike.

The specialty coffee scene in Iraq only started gaining momentum after 2022, although the first Iraqi specialty coffee roaster was established in 2020. The introduction of specialty coffee required significant time for consumer education. Additionally, specialty coffee necessitates an investment in brewing tools, with a minimum cost of $75 to acquire the right equipment for a proper start. The inherent freshness requirement of specialty coffee also posed a major challenge—while commercial coffee remains viable for years, specialty coffee loses its optimal

flavor after just 60 days, making supermarket availability difficult. For a long time, coffee education in Iraq was unstructured, relying on experience rather than professional scientific knowledge. For a long time, jobs in the coffee industry were undervalued, with workers often paid minimum wages. Many cafés operated with minimal knowledge, hiring employees without proper training, and their workflow and quality would change drastically whenever staff changed. When we first entered the market, there was no quality control, and few people prioritized precision equipment, used scales, or followed standardized recipes. However, the coffee scene in Iraq has been evolving, and there is now a growing demand for professional education. Training employees is the first step toward improving quality, but true progress will happen when business owners recognize the value of investing in better practices, especially as competition increases. For now, being a barista is increasingly seen as a career rather than just a temporary job. While it may not make them rich overnight, many professionals are now committed to mastering their craft and pursuing long-term growth in the industry. For that, education has become a key enabler for the industry’s growth. Baghdad School of Coffee became the first institution in Iraq authorized by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) to train and certify coffee professionals, significantly improving industry standards and expertise. 

Today, the market is growing rapidly as these challenges are being resolved. The availability of brewing tools has increased, and logistics companies now offer one- or two-day deliveries across Iraq, ensuring access to freshly roasted coffee shortly after ordering. More importantly, the specialty coffee community is expanding beyond the educational efforts of coffee companies, with word-of-mouth playing a significant role in market penetration.

The rapid growth of the specialty coffee sector has attracted more players into the market. However, the industry remains too small to entice major global coffee brands. Instead, traditional Iraqi coffee brands are beginning to venture into specialty coffee, often relying on marketing hype rather than investing in sourcing and roasting expertise. This has created a blurred image of what high-quality coffee truly is, leading to a disconnect between marketing claims and actual taste. From the consumer perspective, coffee aficionados have fully embraced the idea that quality coffee is not cheap. However, some individuals resist this shift due to various reasons—it is more complex to brew, making the daily cup a hassle. It is also more expensive, or they have not yet experienced properly brewed specialty coffee. Despite this, coffee remains a social lubricant, as it always has been. As specialty coffee grows in complexity, it is evolving into a hobby, and enthusiasts naturally form hobbyist communities.

The younger generation will be specialty coffee natives, meaning that the market will only continue expanding.

Although the specialty coffee industry in Iraq is flourishing, it still faces significant challenges. Regulations remain unclear, with numerous bureaucratic requirements for transferring and importing goods into the country. Additionally, while competition among small businesses is

intensifying, there is still no direct rivalry between Iraqi roasters—most competition comes from roasters in neighboring countries.

Nonetheless, with more accessibility, a growing community, and a new generation getting into specialty coffee, Iraq’s coffee culture is evolving faster than ever, promising a big future for the industry. The fast-growing demand for specialty coffee drinks and tools, mainly driven by home users, is pushing this change even further, making businesses and professionals step up and adapt. Home users are now well familiar with auction-level coffees, and prosumer-level coffee machines are becoming more regular to see. The future will hold an even bigger demand for the latest tools and more and more unique coffee varieties. However, we have to acknowledge the great challenges the global market is undergoing, as coffee production is not catching up with demand. Add to that the climate challenges and the sharp price increase in coffee, and it only means one thing: the era of cheap coffee is ending, and coffee is becoming more of a luxury product.