YALA: Ode to the Year

This year didn’t arrive quietly. It bubbled, overflowed, stalled, surprised us, tested us, and—somewhere between the late nights and early mornings—became part of who we are.

At YALA, we talk a lot about fermentation. About patience. About letting things take their time. This year reminded us that growth—real growth—rarely follows a straight line.

There were moments that made us stop and breathe it all in. Seeing YALA on tables where we once only imagined being. Serving people who get it—chefs, athletes, parents, late-night thinkers, early-morning runners. Being recognised globally, with seven international awards that quietly validated years of obsessing over pH, tea leaves, carbonation, and balance. Two Gold medals—one for Jasmine Dragon Pearls and one for Yuzu & Chilli—felt especially meaningful. Not just because they were Gold, but because they honoured the craft behind them.

We were selected as one of the top five Made in UAE producers through the Emirates Development Bank program and became a proud part of Make It in The Emirates. A moment that reminded us this journey isn’t happening in isolation. That what we’re building here matters. That independent producers with deep roots and high standards belong on the global stage.

We formed relationships that mean more than logos on a slide. From some of the best bakers in the region—people who understand fermentation, timing, and patience at a cellular level—to top-class beverage managers of five-star and beyond hotels, who think in flavour architecture, service rituals, and guest experience. These conversations sharpened us. Challenged us. Made the product better.

We found our way into world-class hotels and restaurants, places we once walked into as guests, now pouring YALA behind the scenes. We showed up—at festivals, races, pop-ups, ports, and some truly exquisite scenes, including the Michelin Food Festival, where craft, flavour, and intention share the same stage.

We expanded. We bottled new ideas. We introduced new formats. We carried kegs through heat and crowds. We stood behind taps, inside kitchens, at finish lines, and under bright lights. Sharing our story with the world felt surreal—not because of the cameras, but because it forced us to look back and realise how far we’ve come.

But this year also asked a lot from us.

The long, slow process of expanding our production facility tested every ounce of patience we had. Paperwork piled higher than kegs. Compliance moved at its own pace. Halal certification, while essential and deeply important to us, demanded precision, time, and countless revisions. Expanding the team brought its own challenges—finding the right people, training them, trusting them, letting go where needed.

There were production delays. Equipment that decided to stop working exactly when it shouldn’t. Days when scaling felt heavier than inspiring. Moments when admin, regulation, logistics, and responsibility pressed harder than the joy. Running a business isn’t just vision—it’s holding everything together when you’re tired, when plans change, when the answer isn’t obvious yet. Some days, the fermentation felt stuck.

And yet, every time we poured a glass and watched someone pause after the first sip, we remembered why we started. This isn’t just a drink. It’s a craft fermented beverage made with intention. It’s tea, time, and care in a world that rushes everything.

YALA was never about perfection. It was about showing up. Again and again. Even when it’s messy. Especially when it’s hard.

We’re deeply grateful to our team who carried crates, solved problems, stayed late, and believed even when things felt uncertain. To our partners who trusted us with their menus and their customers. To the chefs, bakers, beverage directors, bar managers, and hotel teams who gave us space on their tables. And to our community—those who chose us, tagged us, recommended us, and came back. You didn’t just drink YALA this year. You helped shape it.

Looking ahead, next year feels different. We’re preparing to enter new waters and meet new audiences—carefully, thoughtfully, with the same respect for craft that brought us here. New places, new conversations, new ways of sharing what we do, without losing who we are. Growth not as noise, but as presence.

We’re taking everything this year taught us—the wins, the obstacles, the long days, the quiet victories—and fermenting them into something stronger. Slower. Smarter. More intentional.

Thank you for being part of this chapter. Thank you for believing in something that takes time. Here’s to another year of letting things bubble and trusting the process.

With gratitude,
YALA 🌿