- Situated at Aljada’s Zad food truck park and East Boulevard, the new outlets offer speciality coffees and a daily selection of premium pastries
- Both coffee shops will open from 5pm to 3am daily for remainder of Ramadan
Sharjah, UAE:March 2026 – The Reformatory Lab, an Australian café brand that forms part of Arada’s portfolio, has opened two permanent locations in Sharjah’s Aljada megacommunity. Situated in the master development’s Zad food truck park and on its East Boulevard, the new outlets offer elevated coffee experiences and freshly baked pastries to local residents and visitors alike.
Founded in Sydney and launched by Arada in the UAE last year, The Reformatory Lab is the brainchild of fourth-generation coffee farmer Simon Jaramillo. Known for their comic book visuals, premium-grade coffee beans, experimental brewing methods and artisanal treats, the brand’s outlets serve blends from India, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Panama, Ethiopia, Kenya, Burundi, El Salvador, Java and Brazil, as well as Jaramillo’s native Colombia.
The latest launches, which follow the successful opening of The Reformatory Lab’s first permanent UAE location in Dubai’s Jumeirah district in November 2025, form part of Arada’s plan to expand the brand’s UAE footprint to ten locations by the end of next year. The new Aljada venues will open from 5pm until 3am daily until the end of Ramadan.
Simon Jaramillo, founder and General Manager of The Reformatory Lab, said: “The opening of two new permanent outlets in Sharjah is a major milestone in our mission to bring the best crop-to-cup coffee to caffeine fans in the UAE. Together with our colleagues at Arada, we are constantly exploring ways to bring premium coffee experiences to new audiences, which is why we are so excited to introduce The Reformatory Lab concept to the Aljada community.”
Located in Madar, Aljada’s family leisure and entertainment destination, the Zad food truck park is the ideal location for bold brands like The Reformatory Lab. In addition to speciality coffees and hand-crafted pastries, the Zad outlet offers three signature pies – wagyu, chicken and cauliflower – as well as the brand’s famous focaccia sandwiches.
Known as ‘The Corner Store’, The Reformatory Lab’s second coffee shop is situated on the megacommunity’s East Boulevard opposite the Vida Aljada hotel. Featuring the brand’s trademark comic book stylings and an open terrace with panoramic views of the surrounding area, this location serves expertly blended coffees and a daily selection of premium pastries.
The Reformatory Lab, which operates a central roastery in Sydney, Australia, sells high-quality coffee to end consumers and hospitality businesses. Arada acquired a majority stake in the brand in 2024.
About Arada:
Launched in 2017 and headquartered in the UAE, Arada was created to build spaces people connect with for healthier, happier and more meaningful lives.
Arada’s scope of operation covers property development, retail, education, healthcare, fitness, wellness and hospitality.
Arada’s scope of operation covers property development, retail, education, healthcare, fitness, wellness and hospitality.
The master developer has so far launched 11 record-breaking projects in the UAE, and has also expanded into the UK and Australia.
Arada also operates a portfolio of complementary brands and experiences, which includes large-scale gyms, F&B and retail assets, social initiatives and visitor destinations.
