The Click Coffee unit at the Dubai headquarters of telecommunications giant Etisalat | Photo credit: Click Coffee

Autonomous coffee shop concept Click Coffee has made its debut in the Middle East with a unit at the Dubai headquarters of telecommunications giant Etisalat. 
 

Click Coffee’s units are equipped with Eversys SA Enigma smart coffee machines and Click Coffee robot barista technology. The smart machines can make up to 80 beverages per hour and offer a range of customisable options, including espresso content, syrups and dairy alternatives. Customers order and save their beverage preferences in the Click Coffee mobile app. 

Announcing its UAE launch on social media, CEO Alexander Khvastunov said entering the Middle East was an ‘important step’ for the brand and that Click Coffee would ‘strive to reflect’ the social role of coffee and the tradition of Middle Eastern hospitality in its operations. 
 

“Our aim has always been to respect the rich traditions and cultures we operate in, while embracing the future. As we expand our presence in the Middle East, we commit to incorporating the cultural significance of coffee into our operations. We understand the social role of coffee and the tradition of hospitality in the Middle East, and strive to reflect these values in our stores,” said Khvastunov. 
 

Click Coffee is the second digital-fist coffee concept to open in the UAE this year.  

In January 2023, Moscow-based Dodo Brands opened its first dual-brand store in the country, combining its flagship Dodo Pizza fast-food chain and Drinkit coffee shop at a single site. The Drinkit concept utilises app-based ordering and in-store smart collection counters to offer streamlined ordering. 

Crown Digital’s ELLA is another autonomous coffee concept seeking international expansion. In June 2023 the Singapore-based company received new funding led by venture capital firm RealTech Holding to scale manufacturing capabilites and open sites across Japan.  
 

Crown Digital currently has six ELLA units in operation in Singapore. The first of three units at Singapore’s Changi Airport opened in June 2023.