Patricia Perello

Dubai is known for many things: Ultramodern architecture that defies belief; curated landscapes designed to satisfy even the most critical aesthete; and luxury, the likes of which most of the world could only imagine. 

But perhaps it should be known for its best-kept secret: That a young, defiant collective of determined roasters is bringing sustainable, high-quality coffee to the heart of the UAE. Patricia Perello of Archers is part of that charge, melding espresso-machine expertise with marketing mastery to transform Dubai into a world-renowned hub for sustainable and intentional coffee consumption. 

 

Founded in 2018, Archers (@archers.ae) spent the last six years fashioning a specialty coffee culture from scratch. Green coffee trader, roastery, and coffee academy — Archers is a one-stop shop for all things fair-trade and quality-centric. Proud of its sustainable partnerships and intentional practices, Archers has built a community that not only enjoys quality coffee but also honors the complex global heritage brewed into every cup.

 

Appreciation for the product, acknowledgment of the craft, and awareness of the industry—while blending all three into a single brand—is a rare achievement. Yet Archers and its six founders (including seasoned barista Frederick Bejo) have struck such a balance and strive to instill it in each of its baristas, including Archers barista and marketer Patricia Perello (@patriciaperello).

 

Now four years into her coffee journey, Perello was raised in the Archers ethos, gaining an appreciation for the global community that backgrounds the industry. It’s a philosophy deeply ingrained in her work, one that drives her toward new experiences, unfamiliar perspectives, and always, the pursuit of the perfect cup. It’s a never-ending journey, one Perello attributes in no small part to the community of coffee lovers surrounding her. 

 

“When I started working at Archers, I first learned from my peers. Now, I learn from every customer who walks through our doors. I’m blessed to be surrounded by people passionate about coffee.”  

 

Passion thrums throughout the environment Archers has created. For an organization certified by the Specialty Coffee Association and operating in partnership with the Coffee Quality Institute, it’s a must-have.. 

 

But despite its credentials, Perello argues, Archers doesn’t take a prescriptive approach to coffee — and neither does she. Specialty coffee, she says, is only one of the many ways coffee drinkers around the world engage with the product. 

 

“We don’t really have that [negative] mindset at Archers because we meet a lot of people and appreciate everything about coffee, be it commercial or specialty. It’s really nice to work in a company that embraces everything.”

 

Years of conversations with curious Emiratis unfamiliar with the industry fostered that open-mindedness, Perello explains. Every barista knows what it’s like to serve a brand-new coffee drinker — explaining the difference between every drink on the menu while trying to fit an entire lesson on tasting notes into the 25-30 seconds it takes to extract a balanced shot. It’s fulfilling, certainly, but it can also be exhausting. 

 

But Perello savors those conversations, seeing those introductory moments as an opportunity to broaden her horizons and to look at the industry she knows so intimately with the distant, fresh eyes of a novice. It’s what keeps her captivated and allows her to continue honing her craft: 

 

“Consumers always have a lot of questions, which makes you consider what you know about coffee. It helps you appreciate the industry, every supply chain, every step that goes into coffee, and all the hard work to make it.” 

 

Recently, Perello and the Archers team visited partners at the Daye Bensa Coffee Gatta Farm, closing the harvesting season alongside the team there. Spending time in Bensa, a district in Ethiopia’s Sidama Region, shifted Perello’s perspective. 

 

The experience reverted Perello to the wide-eyed excitement of the first-time drinkers she so often encounters, reminding her of the delicate threads that bind her to the coffee, the earth, and the indelible fingerprints left by those who usher it along every stage of the journey from Bensa to Dubai. 

 

“Being there for two weeks opened my eyes to how many hands have touched these products, from the trees to transportation and then to drying, staging, storing, and shipping — it’s just mind-blowing.” 

 

The memory of the verdant Ethiopian highlands, coffee cherries fermenting in her hands, reinforced the philosophy that has been brewing in Perello for the past four years. 

 

Perello’s daily practice is already deeply rooted in the community around her. Even still, she adds that cultivating awareness of the global coffee community is the key to truly unlocking appreciation for coffee as a living, breathing, and ever-evolving craft, one indebted to individual artisans across the world. 

 

“We should all savor coffee and try to understand the history of every cup we drink, not just the processing and the varietal but the people behind it. That’s what keeps us grounded.”

 

Dubai — a city known for its opulent architecture and ubiquitous luxury — is slowly gaining notoriety for a new industry: specialty coffee. Trailblazing roaster and distributor Archers is leading the charge, driving Dubai’s still-unfolding coffee journey forward with the support of Patricia Perello (@patriciaperello), a seasoned barista and a part of Archers’ marketing team.

 

Perello’s story blends formal expertise with community know-how, moving from the UAE to Ethiopia and back to testify to the strong bonds linking coffee consumers to the soft soil from which their daily brew originates.