Maria Pavani on Building Três Marias: A Coffee Brand with Soul

Maria Pavani — Founder, Três Marias

Maria Pavani arrived in Dubai with just AED 800 and a dream. Today, she's the founder of Três Marias — a brand that's more than coffee and milk; it's a lifestyle rooted in intention, emotional resilience, and deep self-discovery.

Can you share a brief note about yourself?

I'm Maria Pavani, the founder of Três Marias, a Dubai based coffee company born from my journey as a barista and fueled by my desire to bring more mindful, high-quality, coffee and plant based alternatives to cafés across the region. I came to Dubai in 2012 with AED 800 in my pocket and a dream to make a life I was proud of. Três Marias started as a coffee brand and has evolved into a symbol of purpose led entrepreneurship.

Why did you choose to start a business?

Because I felt something was missing in the market, and in myself. I wanted to build something that reflected who I truly was. I wasn't just selling coffee or milk; I was building a lifestyle, a statement, a way for people to feel connected and inspired by what they consume and how it makes them feel. One of the aspects that I enjoy the must, is the self-discovery journey I am going through with the brand.

What do you wish you'd known before you started your business?

That being a founder is less about always being strong and more about knowing how to rebuild yourself after every hit. And that sometimes, growth means letting go of ideas, people, or even parts of yourself that no longer align with where you're going. For example, when I started I was focusing on coffee beans, and I was tyring to break my head to make it scale in a very saturated market; for the idea of scale my business model was fail, and forcing it to happen almost make me not see what was in front of me: the opportunity on the plant based milk category.