A practical, bilingual label checklist for 250 g roasted coffee that clears both UAE (MOIAT/ESMA, GSO 9/2013) and Saudi SFDA in 2025 — with exact Arabic wording options, date coding, placement tips and the most common rejection reasons.
If you’ve ever had roasted coffee stuck at Jebel Ali or Dammam because of a tiny Arabic wording issue, you know pain. We’ve shipped Indonesian coffee across the GCC for years, and the patterns are consistent. The roasters who pass label checks do three things well: they plan their Arabic copy early, they print the right dates in the right format, and they don’t leave origin or importer details to chance.
Here’s a focused, field-tested guide to help your 250 g roasted coffee bag pass both UAE (MOIAT/ESMA) and Saudi SFDA in 2025.
Do coffee bags need Arabic labels in both UAE and Saudi?
Yes. Arabic is mandatory on-pack in both markets. Bilingual labels are fine. All mandatory information must appear in Arabic. English can sit alongside, but the Arabic must be complete and equivalent.
Our rule of thumb: build your label in Arabic first, then mirror it in English. It saves rework and avoids “we’ll sticker it later” surprises.
The essential checklist for a 250 g roasted coffee bag (UAE + Saudi 2025)
This aligns with GSO 9/2013 (General Labelling for Prepackaged Foodstuffs) as adopted by UAE and Saudi, plus SFDA enforcement practice.
- Name of the food
- English: Roasted Coffee Beans or Ground Roasted Coffee.
- Arabic options:
- حبوب بن محمص
- بن محمص مطحون (if ground)
- Put this on the principal display panel. Keep it clear and not replaced by a brand name.
- Ingredients
- For single-ingredient Arabica: Ingredients: 100% Roasted Arabica Coffee.
- Arabic: المكونات: ١٠٠٪ بن عربي محمص
- For blends, list in descending order:
- Example: المكونات: بن عربي 70٪، بن روبوستا 30٪
- If flavored or with additives, each must be declared. Plain coffee needs no allergen statement unless there’s real cross-contact risk.
- Net weight
- Show metric units on the front: Net Weight 250 g. Arabic: صافي الوزن 250 غرام
- Digits should be easy to read. In practice we keep x-height at or above 2 mm and net quantity numerals at 4 mm or more.
- Country of origin
- Arabic options:
- بلد المنشأ: إندونيسيا
- صنع في إندونيسيا
- Don’t hide this near a gusset or under a fold. Place it where inspectors won’t miss it. If the beans are Indonesian but roasted in the UAE or elsewhere, disclose both material origin and country of manufacture. Example: بلد المنشأ للمواد الخام: إندونيسيا. بلد الصنع: الإمارات العربية المتحدة
- Name and address
- Manufacturer/packer name and address, plus the local importer/distributor in each market.
- Arabic cues:
- المُصنِّع/المعبئ: [Company, Address]
- المستورد/الموزع: [Company, Address]
- For Saudi, the KSA importer’s name and address in Arabic on-pack is standard practice and avoids rejections.
- Date coding and shelf life Here’s where most coffee gets stuck. In our experience, printing both a Production Date and a Best Before date avoids debates at port.
- Use one of these Arabic label lines:
- تاريخ الإنتاج: DD/MM/YYYY
- يفضل استهلاكه قبل: DD/MM/YYYY أو MM/YYYY
- If you want to show roast date explicitly, tie it to production:
- تاريخ الإنتاج (التحميص): DD/MM/YYYY
- Keep the order day/month/year. Leading zeros help. Don’t switch to year-first unless you write it out in full words.
- Typical shelf life for roasted coffee: 12–18 months in GCC retail, provided packaging is barrier-grade and storage conditions are stated.
- Batch or lot code
- Arabic: رقم التشغيلة (LOT): [code]
- Keep it inkjet/laser and legible. Link it to your roast log for traceability.
- Storage instructions
- Arabic options that pass well:
- يُحفظ في مكان بارد وجاف بعيداً عن أشعة الشمس والروائح.
- يُغلق بإحكام بعد الفتح.
- If you pack with a one-way valve, you may add: كيس مزود بصمام أحادي الاتجاه.
- Optional items that help
- Grinding level if ground (ناعم/متوسط/خشن). Not mandatory but reduces returns.
- Contact or QR for brew guide. Fine, but not a substitute for any mandatory item.
Practical takeaway: Put these nine elements on your artwork master and run an internal Arabic-only proof before English. We catch 3 out of 5 issues at that stage.
Is a nutrition facts panel mandatory for plain roasted coffee?
No, not if it’s plain coffee with no nutrition claims. Both UAE and Saudi follow the principle that nutrition labeling becomes mandatory when you make a nutrition or health claim. If you say “low acid,” “keto friendly,” or similar, you may trigger nutrition labeling and even additional claims rules. Plain beans or ground coffee without additives are exempt.
What date should I print, and in what format?
We recommend printing both Production Date and Best Before. It satisfies stricter readings of GSO 9/2013 and aligns with SFDA enforcement.
- Recommended wording:
- تاريخ الإنتاج (التحميص): 15/01/2025
- يفضل استهلاكه قبل: 15/07/2026
- If your importer insists on month/year only for Best Before, use MM/YYYY and add “قبل نهاية” to mean end of month:
- يفضل استهلاكه قبل نهاية: 07/2026
- Avoid printing only “Roast Date” in English. We’ve seen cartons held until relabeled as “Production Date.”
Are non-removable stickers acceptable to add Arabic?
Yes, but there’s nuance. Both UAE and Saudi accept permanently affixed stickers carrying mandatory Arabic, provided they’re applied before import and can’t be removed without damage. Here’s what has worked for us:
- Use permanent adhesive labels on finished packs. Spec a high-tack PP or PET stock and test peel after 24 hours.
- Don’t cover existing mandatory info unless the importer confirms. Covering the date with a sticker that shows a new date is a fast way to get flagged.
- In the last six months, SFDA inspectors have been tougher on “easily peelable” stickers. If an edge lifts, they may reject. When in doubt, preprint.
Do I need a Halal logo for plain coffee?
No. Plain roasted coffee beans or ground coffee don’t require a Halal mark. If you add flavorings or process aids of animal origin, different rules can apply. For straight coffee, skip the Halal logo and avoid unneeded scrutiny.
Where should the country of origin appear?
Anywhere visible works, but best practice is near the identity statement on the front or on a main side panel that isn’t obstructed by a fold or valve. Use Arabic, not just a flag.
- Examples:
- بلد المنشأ: إندونيسيا
- صنع في إندونيسيا If you’re roasting outside Indonesia, make that distinction clear. Inspectors dislike ambiguity.
A bilingual example layout for a 250 g roasted coffee bag
Front (principal display panel):
- Roasted Coffee Beans
- حبوب بن محمص
- Net Weight 250 g • صافي الوزن 250 غرام
- Best Before: 07/2026 • يفضل استهلاكه قبل نهاية: 07/2026
- Country of Origin: Indonesia • بلد المنشأ: إندونيسيا
Back or side panel:
- Ingredients: 100% Roasted Arabica Coffee • المكونات: ١٠٠٪ بن عربي محمص
- Production Date (Roast): 15/01/2025 • تاريخ الإنتاج (التحميص): 15/01/2025
- Batch/Lot: L250115A • رقم التشغيلة (LOT): L250115A
- Storage: Store in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and odors. Reseal after opening. • يُحفظ في مكان بارد وجاف بعيداً عن أشعة الشمس والروائح. يُغلق بإحكام بعد الفتح.
- Manufacturer/Packer: [Name, Address] • المُصنِّع/المعبئ: [Name, Address]
- Importer (UAE): [Name, Address] • المستورد (الإمارات): [Name, Address]
- Importer (KSA): [Name, Address] • المستورد (السعودية): [Name, Address]
- Barcode (EAN-13): [number] • باركود EAN-13: [number]
Common rejection reasons we still see
- No Arabic on country of origin. Using only “Indonesia” or a flag is not enough.
- “Roast date” printed in English without an Arabic “Production Date.”
- Month written as text in English only, leading to DD-MMM-YY confusion. Use numeric DD/MM/YYYY.
- Missing KSA importer name/address in Arabic for Saudi consignments.
- Removable stickers or stickers added post-arrival.
- Nutrition-like claims that force a nutrition panel. We’ve seen “low acid” lead to delays.
Three practical tips that aren’t obvious
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Print your dates near the valve area or a flat panel, not across a seam. Inkjet distortion has caused rejections.
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Lock your Arabic copy into vector curves before handing to printers. We’ve seen missing glyphs when fonts get substituted.
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If you sell blends like our Roasted Espresso Coffee Blend, list the blend percentages on-pack in both languages. It speeds label review and builds trust with buyers.
When this advice applies (and when it doesn’t)
- Applies to: roasted whole bean or ground coffee in retail packs for UAE and Saudi retail in 2025.
- Doesn’t cover: green coffee beans, RTD/instant coffee, import licensing, Halal certification processes, or lab testing limits. Different rules apply there.
If you’re importing our retail-ready roasts like Roasted Arabica Bali Kintamani Coffee or Roasted Arabica Aceh Gayo (Medium / Medium-Dark Roast), we can share editable bilingual label templates mapped to this checklist. Need help tailoring Arabic phrasing to your importer’s preferences? You can Contact us on whatsapp.
What’s interesting is that enforcement in late 2024 and early 2025 has been less about new rules and more about consistency. Inspectors are checking permanence of Arabic, clarity of origin, and traceability from date to batch to roast log. If you design your label to answer those three questions at a glance, your coffee moves faster.
Final takeaway: build Arabic-first artwork, print Production Date and Best Before in numeric format, keep origin unambiguous, and list importer details per market. Do that, and you’ll spend your time talking about flavor notes, not relabeling cartons at the port. If you want to see how we implement this on Indonesian single origins and blends, you can View our products.