Dubai's tea traders are finding that a cup of the world's favourite brew is just the thing to perk up business during the recession.
"Our tea sales are holding steady," says Sanjiv Mehta, the chairman of the North Africa and Middle East division of Unilever, the multinational consumer products company. "They have not been affected by the recession or increased competition."
At Unilever's Lipton tea factory in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, more than a dozen high-precision assembly machines work around the clock to fold, fill, stitch and package a million tea bags an hour.
That adds up to an annual output of seven billion tea bags, or about 180 sachets for every man, woman and child in the GCC.
Although the factory, which opened 10 years ago, was originally developed to package and distribute brand-name tea products to local markets, it is now a global sourcing and distribution hub that exports to 53 countries as far afield as Canada and Australia.
Annual production has increased five-fold to 25,000 tonnes from 5,000 tonnes over the past decade. Growth has continued this year, despite the recession.
"Good growth in tea underlines the strength of the Lipton brand," Unilever said in its results announcement for this year's first quarter, a period in which the company's net profits fell 43 per cent on the previous year.
Dubai has proved an excellent location for the Lipton tea hub. It is convenient for importing bulk tea from Unilever's main suppliers in India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. The emirate's supportive business environment has also helped, Mr Mehta says.
Other tea distributors evidently concur, as increasing numbers have been setting up shop in Dubai. In February, the Dubai Tea Trading Centre (DTTC), a division of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, opened a tea storage and blending facility, with a capacity to store up to 5,000 tonnes of bulk teas at any given time and to blend 2,400 tonnes of tea a month.
International tea traders have shown immense interest in using the facilities, says Sanjay Sethi, the head of the DTTC. "We are confident that the new centre will attract more tea traders and boost the volumes of tea traded through Dubai," he says.
The total weight of tea traded in the emirate reached 148,600 tonnes last year, up from 144,600 tonnes in 2007, and Mr Sethi expects another increase this year.
If anything, the recession seems to be helping as consumers around the world shun fancier drinks in restaurants, bars and coffee shops, and instead stay at home sipping tea.
"I decided to say 'yes' to the recession," Taz Tagore, a US blogger, wrote on the health-related website www.intent.com. "I forgo restaurant meals for tea dates at friends' homes." Tea-themed events are seeing a burst of popularity in the US, a nation better known for its devotion to coffee. To mark "Tax Day" on April 15 - the deadline for US residents to file tax returns - activists across the country organised dozens of "tea parties" as forums for public protests against the state of the economy and government fiscal policy. They were a nod to the Boston Tea Party, an anti-tax protest in 1773 which was the spark that led eventually to America winning independence from Britain.
But tea's rising popularity in the world's biggest economy is now being driven by stronger social forces than historical iconography. Bigelow Tea, a tea supplier based in Connecticut, forecasts a 7 per cent increase in US tea imports this year, as consumers continue to respond positively to reports of the drink's perceived health benefits.
Between 1990 and last year, the US tea market grew almost fourfold, from US$1.84 billion (Dh6.75bn) to $7.3bn, says the Tea Association of the USA, an industry group. Sales are expected to more than double to $15bn a year by 2012, the president of the association, Joseph Simrany, told an international tea convention in India in February.
Tea consumption is also rising in countries that have been traditional strongholds for the beverage, including the UK, Iran and most Arab states, while in Russia, some cash-strapped consumers are switching to tea from cola, beer and vodka. Alexey Shvetsov of Ormi Traders in Moscow told the tea conference: "What else can people drink? People still drink tea as a healthy and traditional drink, and an obvious choice when you have less money."
"The only thing cheaper than tea is tap water," says Pradeep Jeyathilak of Unilever's UK division. "During the last recession, 50 per cent of households claimed to spend less on eating out. It is seen that people sit at home and drink more tea."
In India, the world's second biggest tea exporter after Sri Lanka, tea prices are rising and growers are optimistic that demand for their product will increase this year, local media reports say.
Ravi Agarwal, a tea exporter, says: "The [Indian] tea industry has been under recession for the last seven to eight years. Last year, there was a boom. This year, we see another boom, which would be very good and healthy for the tea industry."
@Email:tcarlisle@thenational.ae
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic
John Zubrzycki, Hurst Publishers
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The five pillars of Islam
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Honeymoonish
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UFC Fight Night 2
1am – Early prelims
2am – Prelims
4am-7am – Main card
7:30am-9am – press cons
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Austrian Grand Prix race timings
Weekend schedule for Austrian Grand Prix - all timings UAE
Friday
Noon-1.30pm First practice
4-5.30pm Second practice
Saturday
1-2pm Final practice
4pm Qualifying
Sunday
4pm Austrian Grand Prix (71 laps)
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 3
Gayle (23'), Perez (59', 63')
Chelsea 0
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
How to vote in the UAE
1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/
2) Take it to the US Embassy
3) Deadline is October 15
4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
