Al-Mohanad Al-Marwai is the co-founder and CEO of the Arabian Coffee Institute since January 2022.
The institute, comprised of experts and researchers, educates on all aspects of the coffee value chain, offering a wide range of internationally accredited training courses.
Al-Marwai is also the co-founder and CEO of two other companies in the coffee industry: Coffee Lights and AgriNexsus Ltd.
Coffee Lights specializes in the operation of coffee shops, consultation, training of staff and baristas, and the import and export of coffee.
AgriNexsus Ltd. is a Ugandan-based organic farming and production company that uses Ugandan Community Supported Agriculture, which allows consumers to get high-quality local and seasonal food directly from certified farmers’ communities.
By leading both these organizations, Al-Marwai offers Saudi cafes a transparent supply chain of authentic specialty coffee served to the Kingdom’s public.
Over the past 12 years, Al-Marwai has founded eight companies in Saudi Arabia, Uganda, the UK and the US.
During these years in the coffee industry, Al-Marwai has worked in quality assurance and business consultancy, supporting and empowering small businesses to launch and reach new heights.
He is one of 30 licensed coffee graders in the Kingdom; the total number of licensed coffee graders globally is only 3,000.
He is also among the 36 certified trainers in Saudi Arabia’s coffee industry. He has trained and mentored over 2,000 leaders in the coffee sector and entrepreneurship.
Al-Marwai has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Business and Technology in Jeddah.
He holds three master’s degrees: an MBA in multimedia from the University in Malaysia (2009); an MBA in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial studies from the Prince Mohammed bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship (2018); and a master’s degree in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial studies from Babson College in Massachusetts (2018).
In 2018, Al-Marwai also earned a diploma in the coffee skills program from the Specialty Coffee Association in London.
Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree in coffee excellence from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and will graduate in 2023.