Fintrac Inc.
www.fintrac.com
info@fintrac.com
US Virgin Islands
3077 Kronprindsens Gade 72
St. Thomas, USVI 00802
Tel: (340) 776-7600
Fax: (340) 776-7601
Washington, D.C.
1436 U Street NW, Suite 303
Washington, D.C. 20009 USA
Tel: (202) 462-8475
Fax: (202) 462-8478
USAID’s Agribusiness and Trade Expansion Program
4th Floor, Ki-Ab Building
Alexander Pushkin Street
Kebele 23
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: + 251-(0)11-372-0060/61/62/63/64
Fax: + 251-(0)11-372-0102() parenthesis indicate use within Ethiopia only
AuthorWillem J. Boot
Photography
All photos by Willem J. Boot
March 2011
This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared byWillem J. Boot for Fintrac Inc., the U.S. contractor implementing USAID/Ethiopia’s Agribusiness and Trade Expansion
Program.

March 2011
The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the UnitedStates Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

CONTENTINTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1
PART ONE: THE MOTHERLAND OF COFFEE ...................................................................... 2
Culture and Geography ................................................................................................ 2
Coffee Characteristics ................................................................................................. 3
Processing: Sun-dried Natural Coffees vs. Washed Coffees .................................... 4
Sun-dried natural processing .......................................................................................... 5
Washed processing ........................................................................................................ 5
Coffee Designations ..................................................................................................... 6
PART TWO: THE DISTINCT COFFEE REGIONS OF ETHIOPIA ............................................. 7
Harrar ............................................................................................................................ 7
Geography and Culture .................................................................................................. 7
Coffee Characteristics .................................................................................................... 8
Coffee Designations ....................................................................................................... 9
Sidama .......................................................................................................................... 9
Geography and Culture .................................................................................................10
Coffee Characteristics ...................................................................................................10
Coffee Designations ......................................................................................................10
Yirgacheffe ...................................................................................................................11
Geography and Culture .................................................................................................11
Coffee Characteristics ...................................................................................................12
Coffee Designations ......................................................................................................12
Southwest Regions .....................................................................................................12
Limu, Jimma, Bonga Area, and Forest Coffees .............................................................12
Nekempti and Wellega ..................................................................................................13
PART THREE: BUYING SPECIALTY COFFEE FROM ETHIOPIA ..........................................15
Overview of the Buying System .................................................................................15
Exporters/ECX .............................................................................................................15
Cooperative Unions.....................................................................................................16
Private Growers ...........................................................................................................18
Preparing to Purchase Ethiopian Green Coffee Beans.............................................18
Preparing to Sell Ethiopian Green Coffee Beans - The Exporter’s Perspective Formalities and Export Procedures ...........................................................................19
PART FOUR: LOGISTICS AND FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS ...........................................23
Certifications ...............................................................................................................23
Key Terms and Facts for Buying Coffee ...................................................................24
Understanding the Use of Shipping Containers........................................................25
Shipping Small Lots .......................................................................................................25
Condensation ................................................................................................................25
ADDENDUM 1: A NEW PLATFORM – DIRECT SPECIALTY TRADE .....................................27

ADDENDUM 2: ETHIOPIAN COFFEE GROWERS, PRODUCERS AND EXPORTERS
ASSOCIATION MEMBERS LIST .............................................................................................33
ADDENDUM 3: ETHIOPIAN COFFEE EXPORTERS ASSOCIATION (ECEA) MEMBERS .....35
ADDENDUM 4: IMPORTERS AND TRADERS OF ETHIOPIAN COFFEE BEANS .................38
ADDENDUM 5: COFFEE PROCESSING STATIONS IN WESTERN ETHIOPIA .....................45
ADDENDUM 6: AN OVERVIEW OF COFFEE TYPES AND THE BEAN MORPHOLOGY.......49
ADDENDUM 7: ECX CONTRACT CLASSIFICATIONS AND DELIVERY CENTERS ..............69

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

INTRODUCTION
This is a guide to buying
coffee in Ethiopia, themotherland of all arabica
coffee. There are by far
more different and uniqueflavor profiles to be foundin Ethiopia than in any
other coffee-producing
country. This is thanks to
the incredible
geographical, genotypic,
and cultural variety within
this ancient country.
Because of all this variety,
Ethiopia can sometimes bea challenging place to dobusiness, but the reward isworth it. This guide will
help you navigate thebeautiful variety of coffee
lands and coffee offerings
that make up the motherland of coffee.

1Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

PART ONE:THE MOTHERLAND
OF COFFEECULTURE AND GEOGRAPHY
Ethiopia is a large, landlocked country in theeastern Horn of Africa. It is about three times thesize of California, or approximately the same size
as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom
combined. It is also the second most populous
country in Africa, with an estimated population of
85 million people.
As one would expect with such a large country,
Ethiopia is home to a huge variety of geographicalsubregions, from dry sandy deserts in the extreme
east to lush tropical jungles in the far southwest.
However, one of the defining characteristics of thecountry is its high elevation. Most of Ethiopia
consists of mountain ranges, plateaus, and highvalleys between these mountains.

are the Amhara, whose homeland is in the north,and the Oromo, who come from the south. Other
large and important groups are the Tigray, theSidama, and the Somali. Despite this ethnic
diversity (or perhaps partly because of it), Ethiopia
is largely a peaceful country, and one of the safest
places to travel in Africa.
Amharic is the lingua franca of Ethiopia, and thelanguage most often spoken in the major cities. In
the countryside, however, most people speak
mainly their own tribal language. Of foreign
languages, English, Arabic and Italian are the mostcommonly spoken.
Ethiopian people are largely Christian. The
Ethiopian Orthodox Church traces its roots back to
the 4th century AD. The country is also home tofamous, ancient rock-hewn churches, such as thosefound at Lalibella. There are also large numbers ofProtestant Christians and Muslims.

If you look at a physical map of Africa, you canlargely pick out the borders of Ethiopia just by
tracing the outline of the highest eastern mountain
ranges of the continent.

There is a great deal more to explore about
Ethiopian culture — it has some of the mostinteresting and beautiful local cuisine, music, anddance, for instance. But for the purposes of thisguide, let us mention just one more special
characteristic: as the Motherland of Coffee, it ishome to the world‟s oldest coffee-drinking culture.

Ethiopia is also home to more than 80 different
languages and unique cultures. It is the only majorcountry in Africa never to be colonized by
Europeans. There is a dominant language(Amharic) and European languages are spoken(primarily English in the larger towns and cities).
Ethiopia‟s rich and proud history makes it standout as unique among African nations.

Ethiopians have been drinking coffee longer andmore consistently than any other people on theplanet. There are various legends about how coffee
cultivation came about, but what we know for
certain is that coffee drinking goes back at least
500 years, and most likely much longer. Coffee
drinking is a deep part of Ethiopian culture, and a
big part of the identity of the people there.

The famous Great Rift Valley cuts right throughthe heart of Ethiopia and indeed many of theworld‟s most famous coffees grow right along thevalleys and mountainsides.

From modern roasteries and coffee houses in thecapital of Addis Ababa, to the simplest panroasted coffee ceremony in a small rural hamlet,
Ethiopians of all classes and ethnicities enjoy
coffee. As a result, a very large portion of national
production ends up on the local market. Unlike thesituation in many commercially-productive

There are many tribes that make up the Ethiopian
people. The two largest and most dominant groups2

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

countries, it is often possible to get a cup of topquality coffee on the local market in Ethiopia. This
gives the people who grow, buy, and sell coffee
powerful insight into what makes for a delicious
cup.
A word on Ethiopian place names. The Amhariclanguage uses a different alphabet from the Roman
one. There is no agreed-upon international
standard for the transliteration of Ethiopian words.
This means that Ethiopian names and places are
sometimes spelled in various and inconsistentways. Thus the famous coffee town in southern
Ethiopia can be spelled Yirgacheffe, Yirgachefe,
Yergacheffe, Yerga Chefe, and several other ways.
It is important to remember that these“misspellings” are not actually errors. They are
different attempts to render the natural sounds ofEthiopian speech into Roman alphabets.
When dealing with Ethiopian place names, it isbest to remember that one place or person might
be spelled several different ways. Here are someof the most common renderings of important
places in the world of Ethiopian coffee:
 Harrar, Harar: town and region in eastern
Ethiopia Djimma, Jimma, Jima: town and region insouthwestern Ethiopia
 Sidama, Sidamo: large region, sub-region,and tribal people in southern Ethiopia
 Awassa, Hawassa: large town in southern
Ethiopia Nekempti, Nekempt, Lekempti, Lekempt:
town in western Ethiopia
There are many other examples of multiple
spellings of Ethiopian places. When in doubt, it
helps to sound out the names and see if they seemto match. For example, there is a town in southern
Ethiopia that is sometimes spelled Wellaita andsometimes Wollayta. This is the same place!

COFFEE CHARACTERISTICS
The most important thing to remember about
Ethiopian coffee is that Ethiopia is the Motherlandof all arabica coffee. In a certain sense, all arabica
coffee is Ethiopian, whether it is grown in Latin
America or Indonesia or on a hillside in Sidama.
When coffee was taken to other countries, people
had to find ways to adapt it to the local climate.
Arabica coffee grows best in places that haveclimates similar to that of Ethiopia: mountainous,
tropical, with moderate wet and dry seasons.
The coffee has been growing in Ethiopia forthousands of years, in the forests of southeastern
Ethiopia. It is perfectly adapted to the climate.
This is the immense advantage that Ethiopia hasover all other coffee-producing countries.
As the “origin of all origins,” Ethiopia has anotherunique feature: hundreds of heirloom varietals. In
many cases, farmers grow their own uniqueheirloom varietals, the majority of which grownowhere else in the world. A great many of them
have not even been classified.
In many places — Sidama and Harrar, for example— many smallholder farms will pool their coffees
at a small local milling station, each contributing
his own special coffee. The result is a complex
mélange of unique flavors, the truest expression of
local terroir to be found anywhere on the planet.
The rich complexity in a cup of Yirgacheffe, forexample, is largely a product of this special
combination.
It is difficult to make generalizations about theflavor of Ethiopian coffee. Each coffee-growing
region is home to unique flavors. These are
explained in greater detail in this guide, under thesubheadings of each region in Part Two.

3

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

If one had to make some broad generalizations
about Ethiopian coffee — keeping in mind that
there are many exceptions to the rule — one cansay the following: Ethiopian coffees tend to begrown at middle-high to very-high altitudes,
resulting in a hard-bean type, with intense flavors
and aromatics. Fruit flavors are common in all
regions, though the specific fruit character varies
from region to region. Berry aromatics are
relatively common, as are citrus and chocolate.
Ethiopian coffees can be full-bodied (natural
Grade 4 Limu, for instance) or light in body(washed Grade 1 Yirgacheffe, for instance), but ineither case the mouthfeel of top quality Ethiopian
coffees is generally smooth and pleasing.
Ethiopia grows and exports only arabica coffee,
not robusta.

PROCESSING: SUN-DRIED NATURAL
COFFEES VS. WASHED COFFEES
Ethiopia is home to large quantities of coffee inboth of the world‟s two major production styles:
Sun-dried natural, and fully washed. Certain
production styles are more prevalent in certain
regions (see Part Two), but in general it is possible
to find both styles across the board in Ethiopia.
Many countries have one national processing
style, either washed (example: Colombia) or
natural (example: Haiti). Ethiopia has both, andboth on a large scale.
Processing refers primarily to the method of
removing the skin, pulp, and parchment from theouter layers of the coffee cherry, to reveal thegreen coffee bean (actually the seed of the plant)
underneath. The manner in which this is done has

Figure 1 - Coffee Growing Areas in Ethiopia and Approximate Production Volume4

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manuala huge impact on the flavor of the resulting coffee.
Coffee pulp, or mucilage, is very sticky and dense
in sugars. Special processes are needed to remove
the mucilage from the beans.
These general categories (washed vs. natural) arecommon throughout the coffee-producing world.
However, the specifics of each process can varyconsiderably from country to country. In thisguide, we refer only to the ways these processes
are commonly executed in Ethiopia.

Generally, as the result of prolonged and sunfueled contact with the cherry‟s own natural
sugars, sun-dried natural coffees have a sweet,
fruity character with a creamy mouthfeel. The
best, most-carefully cared-for sun-dried naturalcoffees can have intense berry flavors, tropicalfruit aromatics, and chocolaty undertones.
Natural-process green coffee beans often have ayellowish or orange-like tinge to them. This comesfrom prolonged contact with the sugars as they“cook” into the bean in the sunlight.

Sun-dried natural processing
In the dry or “natural” process, coffee cherries are
dried whole. In Ethiopia, this is usually done using
raised drying beds, though some coffees are also
dried on the ground, especially coffees for the
local market. Raised beds made out of wood posts,
about waist-high, are covered in a material likeburlap or nylon netting. Producers lay the coffee
cherries, skin and all, out to dry on the beds.
Over time, the skin and sticky juices of thecherries dry out in the sun. This process can takeseveral days to a few weeks, depending on thetemperature and the intensity of the sun. At night,
or in case of rain, the coffee is covered up. During
the drying process, the cherries shrink in size andeventually become hard and completely dry. Oncethe process is completed, sacks of dried cherries
are taken to a hulling station for the removal of theouter cherry.
Care must be taken to ensure even drying ofcherries, and to avoid any contact between thecherries and contaminating substances, like directcontact with soil. Insufficient attention to thesedetails can lead to muddy, dirty, or fermented
flavors in the cup.
The great advantage of natural processing is that it
does not require any water, nor any elaboratemachinery or facilities. As a result, one finds morenaturally processed coffees in drier areas, as wellas poorer or more remote areas.

Washed processing
In the washed or “fully washed” style ofprocessing, the outer skin of the coffee cherry isremoved immediately after harvesting, usually thesame day the cherries were picked. This is doneusing machines which “pick” or scrape away justthe very outer layer of the cherry, leaving behindthe parchment coffee covered in sticky mucilage.
The “washed” designation refers to what happens
to the coffee next. The mucilage-coated beans arethen fermented with water in large tanks, usuallycement. The process of fermentation breaks down
the sugars in the mucilage and frees it from theparchment. Fermentation usually takes around 24
hours, though shorter or longer fermentation times
are possible, depending on the local climate,
altitude, and other factors.
Once fermentation is complete, the coffee isreleased from the fermentation tank and pushed
manually, with the help of some flowing water,
down long channels. This agitation frees up any
remaining mucilage and separates it from theparchment coffee. At the end of the channels, thecoffee enters another tank where it is rinsed withfresh water. The result is wet coffee in parchment,
free of the sticky mucilage.
From the final washing tank, the wet parchment
coffee is taken to dry in the sun, usually on raised
beds. This process of drying happens quickly,
5Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

because there is no skin or mucilage between thesun and the parchment. After one or two days inthe sun, the coffee is removed from the beds andstored in sacks in a warehouse. When it is to beexported, the coffee is usually taken to a larger
central mill where the parchment is removed, andthe coffee is sorted and bagged for export.
The disadvantage of the washed process is that it
requires large quantities of water and more
infrastructure. In many locales, it is simply not
feasible to do the washed process.
Washed coffee tends to have a clarity of flavor andaroma that is often lacking in natural coffees.
Many cuppers assert it is easier to taste theinfluence of soil and varietal in washed coffees.
Acidity comes through more clearly, and the cup
is generally cleaner. The cleanest, highest quality,
high-altitude washed coffees can have an intensely
refreshing character.
COFFEE DESIGNATIONSAs explained in the section above, coffees in
Ethiopia are now given a geographical designation
and a grade of 1 through 9. Even cooperative
coffees not passing through the ECX end up with agrade and a geographic code.
All coffees are also divided into four large groups:
Commercial Washed, Commercial Unwashed,
Specialty Washed and Specialty Unwashed.
For example, a coffee might be designated “Jimma
A, Gr. 4” or “Sidama C, Gr. 3”.
The first name in the designation (Jimma, Sidama)gives you the name of the larger region in which
the coffee was produced.
The letter that follows the name (A, C) shows you
the subregion that the coffee comes from. For
instance, “Jimma A” covers coffees from the
districts of Yeki, Anderacha, Sheko, S. Bench, N.

6

Bench, Gura Ferda, and Bero. “Sidama C” covers
the areas of Kembata & Timbaro, and Wollaita.
You can find a list of each geographic subregion
and the districts or woredas that it covers in Part
Two. The ECX‟s published coffee contract,
attached as an addendum to this guide, also
contains a list of the various geographic
designations.
Coffee graded 1 or 2 is considered “specialty.”
Coffee graded 3 through 9 is graded as“commercial.” Grades depend on visual inspection
for defects and on cup quality.

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

PART TWO: THE
DISTINCT COFFEEREGIONS OF ETHIOPIAHARRAR
The region known as Harrar — also spelled Harar
with one „r‟ — comprises the easternmost of thecoffee-growing regions of Ethiopia. It is
subdivided into four smaller regions: East Harrar,
West Harrar, Bale, and Arsi.
The government territory known as Harrar (orHararge) is very large and extends through hugedeserts out to the frontier, with Somalia in the east.
Coffee is grown only in the highlands that cluster
in a gently descending arc from the cities of Dire

Dawa and Harrar, south and west toward Sidama.
Likewise the administrative territories of Bale andArsi are larger than just the coffee-growing
regions that concern us. Remember that for the
purposes of coffee classification, Bale and Arsi
fall under the general heading of “Harrar,” alongwith East Harrar and West Harrar.
Geography and Culture
The climate in Harrar, Arsi, and Bale is dryer andwarmer than in western or southern Ethiopia. To
the east, north, and south of the coffee growing
regions of Harrar lie large, dry deserts.
The city of Dire Dawa (Dee-ree Dow-ah) is the
major trade and transportation hub for all ofeastern Ethiopia, and it is the second largest city inthe country. It is in Dire Dawa that the rail link

Figure 2 – Harar Growing Regions

7

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manualfrom Addis Ababa heads north to the port ofDjibouti. Because Ethiopia is landlocked, thismakes Dire Dawa a vital city for Ethiopian tradeand business. The Harrar coffee business iscentered in Dire Dawa as well. All the major
exporters have their offices here, as well as
warehouses and export mills.
The city of Harrar, not to be confused with thelarger region, is a much older and smaller city.
Whereas Dire Dawa is a modern, commercial city,
Harrar is ancient and cultural. While it is possible
to buy and sell coffee in small amounts at thecharming local markets of Harrar city, this town
does not play an important role in the modern
coffee trade.
The roads in the coffee regions of eastern Ethiopia
tend to follow the ridges of the mountain ranges, ata higher elevation than coffee will grow at.
Typically, one must descend the slopes of themountains to get to the coffee farms.
In recent decades, Harrar has witnessed theencroachment of chat (also spelled khat or qat)
farms into its traditional coffee areas. Chat is a
tough, leafy bush that grows well in Harrar. Whenchewed, the leaves act as a mild opiate. Chewing
chat is a popular local practice, among highsociety and the lower classes alike. Most of
Harrar‟s chat product is exported to Djbouti andbeyond. It poses a particular problem to the coffee
sector because it tends to grow well in precisely
the same areas as coffee, and chat prices areusually much higher than what farmers can get forcoffee on the commodities market. Further
compounding the problem, chat takes a great deal
more water to farm than does coffee, and theincrease in chat production has put added strain on
the water resources of Harrar.
Eastern Ethiopia is distinct from the rest of thecountry in that it is predominantly Muslim.
Christians and Muslims mix freely here, as in therest of the country, but the visitor to these areas

8

will notice far more mosques and headscarves thanin the south or the west. Harrar city is famous as
the city of 99 mosques, and has been called the“Fourth Holiest City in Islam.”Amharic is the dominant language in the cities andtowns, as in the rest of Ethiopia, but it is lesswidespread here than in other regions, especiallyin the countryside. Orominya is very common in
the coffee growing regions. Many people speak
Harari as their primary language, and Arabic isused in some places as well. Of European
languages, English is most common, followed by
Italian, though one also encounters more Frenchhere than in other parts of Ethiopia, thanks to the
influence of French traders in the 19th and early
20th centuries.
Coffee Characteristics
Practically all coffee from Harrar is sun-dried
natural.
There are several heirloom varietals that growspecifically in this region, that interact well withthe altitude, climate, and soil type to produce avery unique flavor profiles.
Quality Harrar coffees are notable for a fruity
characteristic and a creamy body. The finest
Harrar coffees have a distinct note of blueberry,
though many other fruity and fruit-like aromatic
flavors can occur.
One kind of differentiated coffee that comes out of
the Harrar area is the “amber bean” or “golden
bean coffee.” The reference here is to theappearance of the milled, unroasted coffee, whichis yellowish/amber in color. However, it isimportant to realize that this color can come result
from more than one process, and there is morethan one flavor profile associated with amber beancoffee.
One type of amber coffee is apparently the resultof a certain varietal growing in a certain soil type

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manualin East Harrar. This is “naturally occurring” amberbean coffee, and often has an excellent, vibrantand rich blueberry flavor.
Because of the premium that amber bean Harrar
coffee has demanded in the past, some producers
have begun selecting out yellowish beans fromlarger lots of “regular” coffee, and using thesehand-selected beans to create smaller “amberbean” lots. However, amber lots created this way
do not necessarily have a superior flavor, and caneven have an inferior flavor. In fact, one of theways amber lots are created is using past-crop
coffee that has turned yellow from age.
Nevertheless, this coffee can still fetch a premium
because some foreign buyers simply see “ambercoffee from Harrar.” The best way to avoid thiskind of confusion, as always, is to obtain a sample
and cup it for flavor.
East Harrar coffees tend to have the most distinct
blueberry flavors, for which the region is famous.
However, in blind cupping, West Harrar coffees
and even Bale and Arsi coffees can outscore East
Harrar lots. Often West Harrar coffees have athicker, smoother body, and a milder fruit flavor.
It is important to note that some growing areas thatare geographically located in the West Harrar
region are nevertheless classified as East Harrar
coffees. This is because the coffees grown there
have the distinct East Harrar profile. Thisphenomenon is limited to the southeastern mostcommunities of West Harrar, the ones that borderalong East Harrar, as one would expect.
Harrar coffee is exported all over the world, butthere is a particular demand for it in Saudi Arabia.
This constant demand tends to keep the price forcommercial grade Harrar coffee slightly higher
than most other Ethiopian coffee regions.
Coffee Designations
Harrar coffee — all of which is unwashed — isavailable in specialty grade and commercial grade.

Commercial grade coffees are given a grade
between 3 and 9, and are designatedgeographically by the letters A, B, C, and D.
Remember, the letters do not represent grades,
only geographical categories. The purchasing
center for all Harrar coffees is the city of Dire
Dawa
Harrar A: East Harrar, plus the geographicallywestern locations of Hirna, Gemechisa, Debesso,
Messela, Gerawa, Gewgew, and Dire Dawa Zuria.
Harrar B: West Harrar, excluding the locations
designated under Harrar A.
Harrar C: Arsi and Golelecha
Harrar D: Bale, West Arsi (Nansebo), and thelocation of Chole.
Specialty grade Harrar coffees are given a grade of
Q1 or Q2. They are also given the same letter
designations, A, B, C, and D. There is also a fifth
letter designation, E, in Harrar that applies only tocoffees from Hirna and Messela, which aregrouped with Harrar A in commercial coffee.
Harrar E: Hirna and Messela (specialty grade
only).
SIDAMAThe region of Sidama is in southern Ethiopia. It
encompasses many individual origins, including,geographically, the area of Yirgacheffe. However,
Yirgacheffe is classified as its own separate origin.
In this section, we discuss Sidama as a designatedcoffee origin. Yirgacheffe is covered in its own
subheading.
The name Sidama is often spelled “Sidamo,” andthe two names are generally used interchangeably.
Some of the confusion comes from earlier politicaldesignations that called Sidama the large federal
region which stretches from the town of
Shashemene in the north all the way to the Kenyan
border; and which called Sidama a much smaller

9Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manualsub-region which contains the towns of Hawassa(Awassa), Yirga Alem, and Dila.
All the coffee origins designated as Sidama arewithin the larger territory of Sidama, but not all
are within the smaller state of Sidama. To avoid
confusion, it‟s best to just consider all the centralsouthern Ethiopian coffees as Sidama, and thenuse the specific town names and micro-origins for
precision.
Sidama is bordered on the East by the large
regions of Arsi and Bale, and on the west by thelarge region of Gamogofa. Because some of thecoffees grown in these regions, right along theborder with Sidama, share more characteristics
with classic Sidama coffee than they do with areas
deeper within their own regions, some Arsi andBale coffees, and all Gamogofa coffees aregrouped with Sidama.
Geography and Culture
The coffee growing regions of Sidama lie in the
famous Great Rift Valley that runs throughEthiopia and Kenya. The countryside is generally
lush and green. Though mostly rural, this part ofEthiopia is very densely populated nonetheless.
Several large fresh-water lakes dot the terrain,running in a long chain through the valley. Most of
the coffee grows
The biggest town in the area is Hawassa, which
has been growing extraordinarily fast in recent
years, with modern style hotels and restaurants.
Other major hubs are Yirg Alem and Dilla, near to
Awassa; and Agere Maryam further south.
Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity is the majorreligion here, and the dominant tribes are theSidama and the Oromo, though there are manyother tribes present as well. Amharic andSidaminya are the most widely spoken languages,
with Orominya common, and English somewhat
widespread.

10

Coffee Characteristics
Sidama features an extraordinarily wide variety ofcoffee flavors. Many different grades of both
washed and unwashed coffees are produced, andthere can be striking differences from town totown.
Varying soil types, micro climates, and especiallythe countless heirloom coffee tree varietals makefor a kaleidoscope of different flavors. It isdifficult to make any single description of Sidama
coffees, without immediately encountering anothercoffee that fits a completely different profile. The
strength of Sidama lies in its variety.
One feature of excellent Sidama coffee is often aprofound complexity. This derives from the manydifferent heirloom varietals. Many different
farmers and pickers, each with a very small patchof land, often with their own unique varietals, willpool their coffees at a cooperative. The resulting“blend” is a unique expression of the complexityof the horticulture in the surrounding area.
High grade unwashed Sidama coffees are known
for their intense fruity characteristics, while beingof somewhat lighter body than unwashed Harrar
coffees, for example.
Another striking characteristic of Sidama coffees
is that even the washed coffees often retain asalient fruity characteristic, while having much
more clarity and brightness than their unwashedcounterparts.
Excellent coffees of many different profiles can befound in all corners of Sidama.
Coffee Designations
Sidama coffees are given three tags: a grade, ageographical letter designation, and designation as
washed or unwashed. Remember the letters do not
represent a quality designation, only ageographical region.

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

All washed coffees and some unwashed coffees
from Bale and Arsi are categorized, by flavor
characteristics, with Sidama.

Sidama B: Aleta Wendo, Dale, Chiko, Dara,
Shebedino, Amaro, Wensho, Loko Abaya, andAmaro [Hawassa]

Hawassa is the main arrival center for Sidama,though some coffees are sold through the hub of
Soddo.

Sidama C: Kembata & Timbaro, Wellayta [Soddo]
Sidama D: Bale, West Arsi (Nansebo), Arsi
(Chole) [Hawassa]

Commercial grade washed coffees are given a
grade of 3 through 9, and are divided into thefollowing three geographical sub regions:

Sidama E: Debub Omo, Gamogoffa, Basketo,
Derashe, Konso, Konta, Dawro [Soddo]

Sidama A: Borena, Benssa, Guji, Chire, Bona
Zuria, Arroressa, Arbigona, Bale, Arsi, and West
Arsi. [Hawassa arrival]

Specialty grade washed coffees use the same
letter groupings as specialty grade unwashedcoffees, with the exception of the letter Egrouping, which is as follows:

Sidama B: Aleta Wendo, Dale, Chiko, Dara,
Shebedino, Amaro, Dilla Zuria, Wensho, andLoko Abaya. [Hawassa]
Sidama C: Kembata & Timbaro, Wellayta, SouthOmo, and Gamogoffa. [Soddo]
Designations for specialty grade washed coffees
are Q1 and Q2 with the following geographical
sub regions (some of which are different than they
are for commercial grade coffees):
Sidama A: Borena, Benssa, Guji, Chire, Bona
Zuria, Arroressa, Arbigona [Hawassa]
Sidama B: Aleta Wendo, Dale, Chuko, Dara,
Shebedino, Wensho, Loko Abaya, Amaro, Dilla
Zuria [Hawassa]
Sidama C: Kembata & Timbaro, Wellayta [Soddo]
Sidama D: West Arsi (Nansebo), Arsi (Chole),
and Bale [Hawassa]
Sidama E: South Omo, and Gamogoffa [Soddo]
Commercial grade unwashed coffees are divided
into the following letter groupings:
Sidama A: Borena, Benssa, Guji, Arbigona, Chire,
Bona Zuria, and Arroressa [Hawassa]

Sidama E: South Ari, North Ari, Melo, Denba
Gofa, Geze Gofa, Arbaminch Zuria, Basketo,
Derashe, Konso, Konta, Gena Bosa, and Esera[Soddo]YIRGACHEFFE
Yirgacheffe is a small micro-region within themuch larger region of Sidama. However,
Yirgacheffe coffees are so distinct and so wellrecognized internationally that they are grouped
into their own special category.
Though much, much smaller than the otherregions, the quality of Yirgacheffe coffee has
allowed it to become as well known or even better
known that the large, famous coffee producing
regions of Harrar and Sidama proper.
Geography and Culture
Yirgacheffe itself is a small town of about 20,000,
located somewhat centrally in relationship to theother coffee growing areas of Sidama, between thelarge towns of Dilla and Agere Maryam.
Three other small woredas or zones that abut
Yirgacheffe have very similar coffees and aregrouped with it in the classification. These are
Wenago, Kochere, and Gelana Abaya.

11Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

Yirgacheffe is culturally and geographicallysimilar to surrounding Sidama. With the growth of
the specialty industry, it has also become
something of a pilgrimage spot for internationalbuyers who seek out top quality coffees.
Coffee Characteristics
Top grade Yirgacheffe coffees share many
characteristics with the best Sidama coffees. Fruitflavors, a bright acidity, and a silky mouthfeel aresome of its hallmarks.
Yirgacheffe produces both washed and unwashedcoffees. While it originally became famous mostly
for its washed coffees, recent years have seen theexport of some highly sought-after top-rate
unwashed coffees as well.
Top grade washed coffees from Yirgacheffe are
renowned for bright citrus acidity, often with alemony character, with excellent sweetness. The
other hallmarks of the coffee is a light, herbaceous
quality that compliments the fruit flavors well, fora complex and flavorful coffee.
The best unwashed coffees from Yirgacheffe often
retain a high degree of acidity, with softer fruit
flavors and sometimes berry characteristics.
Coffee Designations
All Yirgacheffe coffees are given a grade, as well
as a letter characteristic, either A or B. Unlike withthe other large coffee regions, these letters do
indeed make a qualitative distinction. For all
Yirgacheffe coffees, the letter A designates“coffee having Yirgacheffe flavor”; the letter B
designates “coffee lacking Yirgacheffe flavor.
It is possible to find specialty grade coffees among
the B category. These would be coffees withexcellent cup characteristics, but characteristics
that cannot be considered “classic Yirgacheffe
flavor.”12

The delivery center for all Yirgachefe coffees isthe nearby large town of Dilla.
All commercial grade coffee, washed andunwashed, graded 3 through 9, is simply called
Yirgacheffe A or Yirgacheffe B. Both categories
include the four Yirgacheffe zones:
Yirgachefe A: Yirgachefe, Wenago, Kochere,
Gelena/Abaya
Yirgachefe B: Yirgachefe, Wenago, Kochere,
Gelena/Abaya
Specialty grade coffee, both washed andunwashed, graded Q1 and Q2, is given adesignation by one of the four zones in
Yirgacheffe. The A and B designations, once
again, refer to the presence or lack of classic
Yirgacheffe flavor.
SOUTHWEST REGIONS
Limu, Jimma, Bonga Area, and Forest
Coffees
Limu coffee grows in the southwest of Ethiopia
between 3,600 and 6,200 feet. Limu coffee (allwashed) generally has a milder acidity than
Sidama and Yirgacheffe; the flavor is generally
characterized by a balanced and clean cup.
Traditionally, Limu coffees marketed under thatname have been processed washed; the unwashed
Limu coffees have normally been offered under
the Jimma category.
Limu A types include: Limmu Seka, Limmu
Kossa, Manna, Gomma, Gummay, Seka
Chekoressa, Kersa, Shebe and Gera.
Limu B types include: Bedelle, Noppa, Chorra,
Yayo, Alle, and Didu Dedessa.
Jimma, also spelled as “Djmmah” encompasses
Ethiopia‟s largest basket of unwashed coffees
which included all unwashed coffee produced in
the southwestern region of Ethiopia. The area has

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manuala multitude of different indigenous varieties thatcan be quite diverse in quality.
Jimma A types include: Yeki, Anderacha, Sheko,
S.Bench, N.Bench, Gura ferda and Bero.
Jimma B types include: Bedelle, Noppa, Chorra,
Yayo, Alle and Didu Dedessa.
In the area of Bonga, a town in the Kaffa zone,
more than one hundred Ethiopian investors havebeen developing estates and farms growing highquality Arabica coffee. It has suitable Agroecological conditions for specialty coffee
production. Its altitude is between 1600 and 1900
meters the soil is red in color, and temperatures are
conducive for coffee production. The area isknown for distinct higher levels of precipitationand for that reason it is considered as one of therainiest regions in Ethiopia.
As one of the first two Biosphere Reserves in
Ethiopia, the Wild Coffee Forests in the former
kingdom of Kaffa have been recognized as
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the beginning ofJune 2010. Gesha is one of the districts of the
Kaffa zone.
Most farms, estates and cooperatives supply both
washed and natural sun-dried coffees tointernational markets. With the support of theGates Foundation, Technoserve established andconstructed more than one hundred processing
stations in the Southwest regions. Most of thesestations have been built in the Kaffa and Limu
regions. Addendum 5 contains an overview of allprocessing station built by Technoserve.
Because of its unique flavor and bean appearance
many cuppers categorize Kaffa washed coffeewith Borena region coffee while others compare
its flavor with neighboring Limu coffee.

Nekempti and Wellega
Nekempti also known as Lekempti, is a region
located within the state of Wellega, about 6 hours
west by car from Addis.
This coffee would typically be sold as “Lekempti,”
a trade name in coffee to designate Western
Ethiopian coffees traded through the city of
Nekempte, while the coffee actually originates
further west in East Wollega, also called “Misraq
Wellega”, which is the Gimbi woreda. Gimbi isoften grouped together with the adjacent Lekempti(technically, 80 miles to the east).
Wellega is the highland area in the Southwesternpart of Ethiopia with more rainfall than in the dry
Northern and Eastern areas of Ethiopia. In theprovince Wellega live the Oromo's, the largest
tribe of Ethiopia. The majority of the Oromopeople are farmers. Income is mainly gained fromagriculture, cattle and coffee.
Originally, Lekempti is a sun-dried natural bean
produced in western Ethiopia. The coffee is known
for its large bean size, and the flavor can have apronounced perfume-like aftertaste.
Coffee processing styles in Wellega havetraditionally been sun-dried natural.
In the near future we can expect that the offeringsof washed processing styles will be expanded
through the washed coffee processing stations
built with financial support by the Gates
Foundation (executed through Technoserve).
Nekempti and Wellega coffee export designations
include: Kelem Wollega, East Wollega and Gimbi.

Kaffa types include: Gimbo, Gewata and Chena.

13

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

PART THREE: BUYINGSPECIALTY COFFEEFROM ETHIOPIA
Procuring specialty coffee beans from Ethiopia
requires due diligence by the buyer. Buyers
should gain a thorough level of understanding
about export procedures before actually exporting
coffee.
OVERVIEW OF THE BUYING SYSTEM
Coffee may be purchased in Ethiopia through oneof three main channels: from exporters fromcooperative unions and directly from private
estates. Addendum 2 contains a comprehensive listof exporters and private estates.
Exporters generally purchase their coffee throughthe Ethiopian Commodities Exchange (ECX).
Private estates that hold their own export license
may sell and export directly to internationalbuyers.
Coffee lots of Ethiopia‟s many primary
cooperatives are generally channeled through oneof the four cooperative unions.
Figure 3 shows the channels for exporting coffee
from Ethiopia.
EXPORTERS/ECXThe Ethiopian Commodities Exchange
incorporates a trading platform for coffee and as

Figure 3 – Ethiopian Coffee Supply Chain

15

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manualthe name implies, it deals in several commodities,
not just coffee. The basic function of the ECX is toprovide a centralized, standardizing body where
agricultural goods and futures can be traded. The
ECX was originally designed with commodities
like wheat, maize, and haricot beans in mind, withan eye towards helping to stabilize prices andproduction, get better prices for farmers, and help
the agriculture sector function more efficiently.
Coffee was added as one of the crops under theumbrella of the ECX in late 2008, replacing theold “auction system” in Ethiopia. The auction
system had been often criticized for being unfair
and for leading to misrepresentation and pricemanipulation of various coffees.
All coffee that enters the ECX is given a grade anda geographical designation. Grades are based on
physical inspection of lots and on cupping. 1 is thehighest grade, and 9 is the lowest. Geographicaldesignations are given at the “sub-regional” level,
more specific than large regions like Harrar or
Sidama, but less specific than the particular farm,Figure 4 – Ethiopia Commodity Exchange

16

village or woreda level.
Once coffee is graded, it is stored at an ECX
warehouse to prevent tampering, and coffee is bid
on and sold to exporters.
Starting in 2010, under the purview of the ECX,
there is also an auction called the Direct Specialty
Trade auction, or DST. This auction sells topquality coffees through a special DST auction
platform, but while maintaining the traceability of
the lots. So far, very little coffee is sold this way,
but it is an option which may grow more
influential in the future.
See Addendum 1 with more about the DST and
Addendum 3 for a list of exporters.
COOPERATIVE UNIONS
Most farmers in Ethiopia hold and work verysmall parcels of land. Over the years, farmers(with the help of the government) have formed
local cooperatives and pool their coffee to createlots large enough for export. Usually these primaryEthiopian Coffee Buying Manual

cooperatives have their own washing or drying
station, though sometimes they use that ofsomeone else.

Yergacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union(YCFCU), and the Kafa Forest Coffee Farmers
Cooperative Union.

Coffees produced at the cooperative level are notrequired to pass through ECX. The co-ops,
representing the hands that farmed the coffee, areconsidered owners of their own product, unlike
commercial exporters who buy and sell coffee.

The Oromia Union recently opened a spectacular
new processing facility and quality center in theindustrial suburbs of Addis Ababa. This largest
union of cooperatives has the capability to process
in excess of ten thousand tons of green coffee.

However, cooperatives generally work through a
cooperative union, which functions as anintermediary between the primary co-ops andinternational buyers.

Coffees that come through the cooperative unions
usually have a more specific geographicaldesignation, down to the district or woreda level
where the coffee was produced.

The cooperative unions include the Oromia Coffee
Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU), the Sidama
Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (SCFCU), theThe Sidama, Yergachefe and Kafa Unions offercoffees types from the same geographic

Figure 5 – Ethiopian
Coffee Cooperative Unions

17

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

designations as their name indicates.
The Oromia Union offers beans from almost all
Ethiopian types due to the extensive area theOromia Union covers.
PRIVATE GROWERS
Private growers that produce their own coffee arealso permitted to sell their coffee directly to theinternational market, as they too are the owners of
their own product (again, not a middle-man).
However, not many private growers have thecorporate infrastructure to effectively export theirown coffee. In 2009 and 2010, the majority of
estate holders sold their coffee through ECX.
Coffees supplied through theprivate growers usually have avery specific geographicaldesignation; from the district
or woreda level to thecommunity where the coffee
was produced.
Addendum 2 contains a list of
the current membership of theEthiopian Coffee Growers,
Producers And Exporters
Association.
PREPARING TO
PURCHASE ETHIOPIAN
GREEN COFFEE BEANS
The purchasing of Ethiopian
green coffee beans can beaccomplished either through anestablished importer or traderin your area or the coffee canbe purchased directly from an
Ethiopian exporter.
In the first scenario, smaller
quantities can be purchased in

18

lots as small as a few bags of 60 kilograms.
Buying directly from an exporter generally
involves a much larger commitment; in this casethe contracted quantity can be as high as 20,000
kilograms of green beans per container.
Under all circumstances, it is recommended tofollow a basic sequence of steps in the purchasingof green beans.
Step 1: Inspect the first offering sample andreview/ document the physical bean quality andthe flavor profile. This first sample will provide
the buyer with the benchmark qualioty of theactual lot that has been offered.
Step 2: Request specific information about thecoffee: grade, region, community, processing style

Figure 6 – Nine steps to buying Ethiopian green coffee beans

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manualand farmer information. Specifically, thisinformation is relevant when buying from acooperative Union or from an estate farmer. These
suppliers can bypass the ECX system and provide
more specific information about the coffee lot.
Step 3: Prior to intiating the contracting of thecoffee, it is recommended to assign an agent or
representative who can act on behalf of the buyer
in the purchasing process. Specifically, this agent
should be involved in the inspection of coffee
quality and the clarification of shipping details.
Now that buyer (importer or roaster) and seller(exporter or Union) have expressed the intent tomake a transaction, they intitiate the next phase of
the buying process.
Step 4: On request of the buyer, the exporter will
send preferably two pounds of green beans fromthe actual lot that is offered and the location of thebeans is disclosed to the buyer so that a possible
inspection can be arranged. This sample is also
called the “pre-shipment” sample.
Step 5: The buyer performs a cupping and gradingof the sample to verify the actual characteristics ofthe coffee. At this stage, the outcome of this test iscompared with the outcome of the inspection of
the offering sample (step 1).
Step 6: The buyer‟s agent or the buyer him/herself
can perform an inspection of the coffee lot anddraw additional samples for cupping review. In
general, the coffee is stored at this point still asparchment. Most exporters will not start
processing the coffee until the purchase contract
has been signed and the Letter of Credit (LC) has
been issued by the buyer. Ethiopia has a highnumber of licensed Q graders and it can bebeneficial to involve one or more Q graders to
perform a preliminary Q-grading and cupping.
Finally, the contractual phase of the purchasing
process can be concluded.

Step 7: Negotiate contract with the exporter. The
final details of the transaction will be negotiated. It
is required to specify clearly the quality
specifications of the coffee lot. Buyers of specialty
coffees should consider utilizing some of thenewer types of packaging structures like
“GrainPro” which is a special plastic liner which
was originally developed for the grain industry.
Step 8 and Step 9: The final export sales contract
is signed and in some cases it is recommended toobtain a final pre-shipment sample. This isspecifically recommended if the purchasing
process and subsequent preparation of the export
took a long time to complete.
Once all formalities have been fulfilled, now
finally the coffee can be transported to Djibouti
from where the shipment is arranged.
Buyers are advised to utilize the services of anexperienced international freight forwarder.
Importing coffee from Ethiopia can be quite
complicated and for this reason it is advisable tostudy the next section which describes theformalities that exporters must fulfill in order toprepare the export transaction.
PREPARING TO SELL ETHIOPIAN GREEN
COFFEE BEANS - THE EXPORTER’SPERSPECTIVE - FORMALITIES AND
EXPORT PROCEDURES
Exporting coffee from Ethiopia requires a series offormalities and various documents.
In general it will take at least four weeks tocomplete the formal export preparation cycle fromthe time of initial sales inquiry to the day ofexport.
The export process of green coffee beans is
exclusively reserved for domestic investors.
Foreign investors cannot be involved in export
trade of coffee from Ethiopia. The following is an

19Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manualoutline of the process that one needs to follow
when exporting coffee from Ethiopia.

for payment, the respective banker will check the
documents.

The Exporter must register the export contract
with the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE).

The exporter fills in the Customs Declaration
Annex Form (CADF). This form is for exchange

The application should include a setof documents:
 Contract between seller andbuyer;
 Seller‟s invoice; Export license of seller; Tax registration certificate(TIN certificate);
 Export permit application;
 Letter of seller stating thatconsignment will be settled
within max. 90 days.
The exporter must notify the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development of the conclusion of
the contract within 15 days of theconclusion of the contract forexport.
The exporter submits a copy of thecontract to the exporter'scommercial bank.
The export sales contract should
stipulate the method of payment for
the export consignment.
The buyer must open an irrevocable
L/C in favor of the seller. The
exporter should go through the textof the L/C opened in their favor andmake sure that compliance can be
met without doubt.
When preparing documents forpresentation to the commercial bank

20

Figure 8 – Process for exporting
coffee from Ethiopia

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manualcontrol purposes and should be filled for each
export consignment.
When export coffee is ready, the exporter mustobtain certification from the Coffee Quality
Liquoring and Inspection Center that the coffee isprepared in accordance with the characteristics ofthe agro ecology of its production area and meetsthe required grade.
Exporter fills in some compliance documents:
 Certificate of origin issued by the
Chambers of Commerce; Special movement forms or certificatesissued by the Customs Authority.
Exporter insures the export cargo (optional).
Exporter presents a series of documents to theCustoms Clearing Agents:
 Export permit; Copy of the Customs Declaration Annex
Form; Commercial invoice; Certificate of Origin;
 EUR I Movement Certificate whenexporting to the European Union markets; Generalized System of Preferences (GSP
Form A) and Certificate of Origin whenexporting to countries offering theGeneralized Systems of Preferences;
 Submission of relevant documents to theCommercial Bank and the process ofgetting the payment from the Commercial
Bank is called “Negotiation of theDocuments” and the documents are called„Negotiable Set of Documents‟.

The set normally contains: Commercial invoice including one copy
duly certified by the Customs;
 Packing List;
 Foreign exchange declaration forms;
 Customs Declaration Annex form (CDAF)
in duplicate; Certificate of Origin;
 Insurance Policy, in duplicate.
The Commercial Bank negotiates these documents
to the importer‟s bank in the manner as specified
in the Letter of Credit. Before negotiating
documents, the exporter‟s bank scrutinizes them inorder to ensure that all formalities have been
complied with and all documents are in order. The
bank then sends the Bank Certificate and attested
copies Commercial Invoice of the exporter.
The exporter can get immediate payment from
his/her respective bank on the submission of
documents by signing a Letter of Indemnity. Bysigning the Letter of Indemnity the exporter
undertakes to indemnity the bank in the event of
non-receipt of payment from the importer alongwith accrued interests.
On receiving the documentary Bill of Exchange,
the importer realizes payment in case of sight draftor accepts the Usance draft undertaking to pay on
maturity of the Bill of exchange. The exporter‟sbank receives the payment through importer‟sbank and is credited to exporter‟s account.
On receiving the export proceeds, the exporter‟sbank intimates the same to the NBE by recording
the fact on the duplicate copy of CDAF. The NBE
verifies the details in duplicate copy of CDAF
with the original copy of CDAF received from theCustoms. If the details are found to be in orderthen the export transaction is treated to becompleted.

21Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

PART FOUR:LOGISTICS
AND FINANCIAL
ARRANGEMENTS
Below are several key logistical considerations to
help in the process of buying coffee from Ethiopia.
CERTIFICATIONSThere are several different designations thatcoffees can be given to differentiate them from thebroad mass of commercial coffee. Designations
such as organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Allianceand so on, attempt to give consumers some sort ofguarantee about the social or ecologicalsustainability of the mode of production.
These kinds of designations are widespreadthroughout the food product sector now. There areseveral that specifically apply to coffee, and as thesituation differs from country to country, we deal
with them below as they relate to Ethiopia.
Organic: Organic coffee is a small but growing
sector of the international coffee market.
“Organic” refers to the mode of production ofcoffee where the biological value of the coffee
harvested is equal to the value returned to the soil.
This is achieved through practices like mulching,compost of organic waste, proper plantation ofsymbiotic shade trees and so on.
Organic coffee can usually get a premium on themarket from consumers who are sensitive about
health and environmental concerns.
However, it is not simply enough for farmers toeschew chemical fertilizers and pesticides (though
this is indeed a prerequisite). No coffee may besold as organic unless it has been certified asorganic. The certification process varies fromcountry to country. For the coffee to be sold asorganic, every step along the path the coffee takes
must pass : not just the farm, but also the milling
station, the warehouses, roastery, and so on.
For a farm to be certified, it must undergo
inspection for at least three years, and then isinspected annually thereafter. This process can belengthy and cost-prohibitive for small farmers.
In general, the vast majority of Ethiopian coffee isproduced without chemical pesticides or
fertilizers. Most farmers simply cannot afford
these products. However, very little of the coffee
is actually certified as organic, as few can afford
the certification process. Indeed most rural farmers
are not even aware of such certifying boards andpractices.
It is possible to find certified organic coffee in
Ethiopia, but these exist in very small fractions of
the total market. In general, Ethiopian coffee isnaturally produced — the way farmers have been
doing for hundreds of years — but not organicallycertified.
Fairtrade: The term “fair trade” is sometimes
used as a generic catch-all to describe coffee
practices that attempt to take the well-being of
farmers into account. However, the actual term
Fairtrade refers to a specific program initiated in
the Netherlands in 1988 and formalized inGermany in 1997 as Fairtrade Labeling
Organizations International.
The basic premise of Fairtrade is to provide coffee
farmers with a price for their product thatguarantees a basic level of necessities like water,
health care, and education. Because coffee prices,
as affected by the futures market and worldwide
fluctuations in production, can swing wildly,
coffee farmers are never guaranteed that the pricethey get for their coffee will pay for their basic
needs. In fact, it is common for farmers to beforced to sell their coffee at a straight loss, where
the selling price doesn‟t even cover the cost of23

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

production, let alone provide enough money for
doctor‟s visits or schooling.
Fairtrade is complex, but in essence it sets a floor
price for coffee, guaranteeing the farmers a basic
wage. This price varies from country to country
and it is dependent on the local cost of production.
As with organic coffees, Fairtrade coffees must be
certified as such by the FLO.
It is important to note that while Fairtrade coffees
are often marketed to the same segment of themarket as specialty coffees, Fairtrade does notclaim to be a guarantor of cup quality. The
Fairtrade certification only makes a claim about
the price paid to the farmer, not to the mode of
production, any environmental certification, or
quality in the cup.
Some Fairtrade coffees are available in Ethiopia,
especially through the cooperative unions.
Other certifications: Other certifications such as
Utz Kapeh, “Bird-Friendly” and Rainforest
Alliance attempt to address these same issues.
These certifications have their own set of criteria,
generally geared towards ensuring fair and healthy
working environments for the people who produce
coffee; and environmental practices that are
sustainable.
KEY TERMS AND FACTS
FOR BUYING COFFEE
Most Ethiopian coffee ships through the port ofDjbouti, a small country nestled between Eritrea
and Ethiopia on the Gulf of Aden. Most coffee you
buy from Ethiopia can be purchased as FOB(Freight on Board or Free on Board) through theport of Djbouti. The exporter gets the coffee to theport and on the container ship. The importer takes
control of the coffee on arrival in port of theimporter‟s home country.
Here are some key terms to understand when
dealing with the purchase of coffee:

24

Subject to approval of sample (SAS): This termin a contract stipulates that the buyer is not
required to purchase a lot of coffee unless heapproves of the sample sent ahead of time by theexporter. The exporter must provide this sample tothe buyer. If the sample does not meet the buyer‟srequirements, he may call off the sale or request asecond and third sample.
Stocklot sample: Stock-lot sample refers to coffee
samples taken from coffee stock already on-handin the warehouse of the exporter (as opposed tocoffee he may or may not decide to buy andwarehouse). It is not practical for exporters to send
stock lot samples of every coffee they have toevery potential buyer. But if a buyer is working
with a new exporter, or if the exporter is claiming
significant increases in the quality of his coffee
lots, a stock-lot sample is a standard way for thebuyer to verify that this exporter is someone hewishes to work with.
Free on Board (FOB): Also sometimes rendered
Freight on Board. This refers to a price that
includes the loading of the coffee in containers
onto a container ship. The seller is responsible forthe cost and procedure of getting the coffee to theport and having it loaded. FOB Djbouti, forexample, means the price of the coffee alreadyloaded on a ship in the port of Djbouti.
Free on Truck, Free on Rail (FOT, FOR): The
price of the coffee loaded on a truck or train.
Seller handles these costs, then it is up to the buyer
to pay for the coffee to be transported to the port
and loaded onto a ship.
Cost and freight (C&F): Seller is responsible forpaying all costs and freight all the way to theimporters destination. Does not include insurance.
Insurance is still the buyer‟s responsibility.
Date of shipment: Date corresponding to the billof lading, stipulating the date on which coffee ison board and ready to ship.

Ethiopian Coffee Buying ManualSpot goods: Refers to coffee that has alreadyarrived in the importer‟s country, warehoused andready for trucking.
Afloat: Coffee that has shipped but has not yet
arrived in the importer‟s country. Coffee still enroute.
Shipment month: The coffee will be shipped onany day in the month listed. For example,
Shipment January means the coffee will beshipped sometime between January 1 and January
31.
Immediate shipment: Shipment within 15 days ofthe contract date.
Prompt shipment: Shipment within 30 days ofthe contract date.
UNDERSTANDING THE USE OF SHIPPINGCONTAINERS
Almost all international shipping is done using
standard shipping containers. Containers generally
hold up to 320 bags of green coffee beans (60kilograms each).
Shipping smaller quantities of coffee is can bechallenging to arrange, because of high freightcosts and possible condensation issues within thecontainer.
Shipping Small Lots
Arranging shipment for small lots of coffee can bea difficult task. Shippers charge by the container,
not by unit of mass. So any container that is only
partially full will still cost the same to ship as acompletely full one, quickly making the cost of
shipment prohibitive for importers who would liketo bring in small lots of coffee.
One solution to this problem is to pair smaller lotsof specialty coffee with other small lots or one
larger lot. For example, 6 different lots of 50 bags
each loaded into one container. Or 1 small

specialty lot of 50 bags together with 250 bags ofcommercial coffee. Buyers must usually makethese arrangements themselves, usually partneringwith other small-lot buyers and then coordinatingwith the exporter. Alternatively, if there is anexporter with whom a buyer has an establishedrelationship, and if the cost paid for the small lot issufficient for the exporter, it may be possible tohave the exporter make these arrangements.
Note that organic coffee cannot be shipped in thesame container with non-organic coffee, or it willlose its certification due to the risk ofcontamination.
Condensation
Coffee is very vulnerable to atmospheric changes
during shipment. Shipping containers movingfrom warm, humid tropical ports to northern ports
in colder climes will experience changes ininternal moisture and temperature. To protect thecoffee, certain procedures must be carried out.
Shipping containers should be lined withcardboard or strong kraft paper. They should bestacked with coffee all the way to the top in proper“saddle-bag” manner. Saddle-bag manner refers tolaying coffee bags off-center from one another sothat it minimizes space between the bags, as
opposed to stacking them directly on top of eachother in a straight stack. Filling the container all
the way to the top also minimizes the air inside thecontainer. (A small amount of space must be left
so that the bags do not come in contact with thesteel roof of the container).
With a minimum of air in the container, the coffee
will suffer less from condensation and changes in
the relative humidity of the container. Coffee
buyers should stipulate in their contracts withshippers that the containers will contain coffee andthat containers used should be those suitable forcarriage of foodstuffs.

25Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

ADDENDUM 1: A NEW PLATFORM – DIRECTSPECIALTY TRADE
The introduction of the Direct Specialty Trade (DST) platform is a response to the emerging important
trends in the international coffee market. As noted above, tracing the coffee to given attributes is an
important means of adding value in the market. These attributes can be: identity of the grower,social/community, economic, or environmental factors.
DST is a mechanism to provide the benefits of the organized ECX marketplace –where the integrity ofthe product, the integrity of the transaction, and the integrity of the actors are maintained – while
enabling traceability to market-desired attributes.
Ethiopian laws governing the trade of coffee allow producers to directly export the coffee produced on
their own farm without having to sell it to suppliers who then sell it to exporters. However, due to thesmall scale and weak capacity of most Ethiopian coffee producers and their geographic dispersion, there
is a coordination failure in the market in that it is costly and risky for small farmers and internationalbuyers to find each other and directly transact. The ECX Direct Specialty Trade addresses this problem.
Producers may use the platform as a way to grade and store specialty coffees they intend to offer directly
to the international market. The difference with the existing ECX system is that the identity of the
producer is maintained throughout the transaction, while providing the usual services of quality
certification and inventory management. The other difference is that the actual sales contract is not
executed as part of DST, because the transaction between producer and buyer is an international tradeconducted in dollar, not Birr. Thus, beyond quality control and inventory management, ECX would
conduct a DST bidding session where sellers (producers) and international buyers meet to bid on prices.
However, once a price is agreed, the international sales contract is concluded bilaterally, registered withthe appropriate authorities (National Bank of Ethiopia) and executed outside of ECX. The role of ECX
would thus be to coordinate the price discovery without engaging in the payment and clearing, as is thecase in the existing ECX system. Finally, ECX market data dissemination would enable all market
players to be informed about the prices and qualities discovered in the DST bidding session.
Thus, although different in significant aspects from the existing ECX model, the DST represents animportant value addition to the market in that it redresses a coordination and information failure. It
creates an incentive for buyers interested in traceable and thus certified coffees to source supply directlyfrom Ethiopian farmers. As shown above, this is likely to be a rapidly growing market segment and one
in which Ethiopia has the potential to be a global market leader. For producers, DST is a means toempower themselves by directly accessing the international market and negotiating better prices for
specialty coffee that has a recognized value premium.
The role of ECX is thus to enable value creation in the market. DST is a flexible platform in that, in
addition to specialty quality certification currently developed using the international “Q” cupping
standard, ECX may also recognize internationally accredited certifications such as Rainforest Alliance,
Organic, FairTrade, Utz, and other certifications, as part of the DST platform. This enables the capturingof significant value back directly to Ethiopian small farmers, within an organized and regulated
marketplace, which is transparent and freely accessible to all producers and all buyers.

27

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

Finally, the DST model also introduces the concept of an “Export Service Provider” to address theconcern that weak or non-existent capacity of small scale producers (or cooperatives) may prevent themfrom actually carrying out the full export operation. Global best practice suggests a role for an export
service provider, which is an entity licensed and experienced in exporting, to provide export services on a
fee basis to help the producers actually do the exporting. Thus, while the owner and exporter is legally
the producer, the export service provider has an important role to play in coordinating the various
activities involved in export processing and preparation, freight handling and logistics, etc., in addition toproviding credibility to the buyer. To protect the integrity of the DST, ECX would require the use of astandard ECX designed “Export Service Provider Agreement” which would be registered with the
Exchange as part of the qualification to participate in DST. This Agreement is intended to protect thesellers, or producers, in their relationship with the export service provider, as well as to ensuretransparency to the buyer on the various actors involved in the DST and their various roles and liabilities.
Deposit and Delivery of Specialty Coffee under DST
To participate in DST, an interested producer, either a cooperative society, a cooperative union, or acommercial grower, would bring the coffee to the Exchange and is required to obtain a specialty grade as
either pre-export processed or export ready coffee. The producer would deposit the coffee at thedesignated warehouse and obtain a DST Warehouse Receipt. There would be a minimum lot size fordeposit of 30 bags, or as specified by the Exchange. The Exchange DST warehouse receipt specifies thequality, producer identity and other special attributes of the commodity, such as various certifications
obtained from a recognized third party that has established a partnership with the Exchange. The DST
inventory management would be based on the identity of the producer and the actual lot.
Direct Specialty Trade Bidding Session
The Exchange shall conduct a Direct Specialty Trade bidding session between specialty producers andinternational buyers on a regular basis, at a pre-announced frequency. The producer must designate athird party as an Export Service Provider and must register an Export Service Agreement with the
Exchange.
The Exchange would publicly pre-announce the available lots of specialty commodity of qualified
producers for the Direct Specialty Trade bidding session, along with information on the lot number,producer identity, commodity origin, quantity, specialty grade, other special attributes, and the designatedexport service provider. Following the session announcement, the Exchange would pre-registerinternational buyers willing to participate in the Direct Specialty Trade session. Buyers would be
required to provide company information and to indicate the identity of the agent, if any, along withagency agreement, if they wish to designate a representative to the bidding session, and agree to adhere to
the terms and conditions of DST.
The Exchange would send samples of the commodity on a request basis and sold on behalf of the
producer to interested buyers and would allow on-site inspection of the commodity and cupping prior to
the Direct Specialty Trade bidding session.
Only qualified producers and pre-registered buyers, and/or their designated agents, would be allowed toparticipate in the Direct Specialty Trade bidding session. The bidding session would be conducted by the28Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

Exchange on a lot by lot basis using open outcry method with both buyer and seller participation, or theirdesignated agents.
At the conclusion of each lot bidding, the Exchange would record the identities of the counterparties andthe agreed upon price and quantity and produce a final Direct Specialty Trade session report that shall bemade publicly available. The prices and quantities agreed upon at the Direct Specialty Trade bidding
session shall be considered binding by both parties.
Within twenty-four hours of the Direct Specialty Trade bidding session, the producer or his Export
Service Provider is required to provide to the Exchange a copy of the international sales contract
registered with the National Bank of Ethiopia. If the price, quantity, or delivery terms of the registeredsales contract have changed from the agreed upon terms in the Direct Specialty Trade bidding session, theExchange shall consider this a false bid and make this publicly known.
The DST Export Service Provider Agreement
The Export Service Provider Agreement, shown as Appendix A, is an attempt to provide clear guidelines
on the roles and liabilities of the export service provider. The Agreement is intended to protect all threesides of the DST transaction, the producer, the service provider, and the international buyer. Thus, theAgreement outlines that the liability of the producer ends with regard to the commodity once delivery ismade from the ECX warehouse (where the seller stores commodity up to the DST bidding session) to theexport service provider‟s warehouse where export processing is done. The export service provider thus
takes responsibility up to the loading of the consignment at the point of sale (port of Djibouti, or other).
The export service provider is paid on a pre-agreed fee (commission) basis as well as on the basis of
invoices for allowable expenses listed in the Agreement, such as transportation, milling, bagging, etc.
The roles and liabilities of the Export Service Provider outlined in the Agreement include: Providing evidence to the Exchange of the registered FOB Port sales contract within twenty-fourhours following the Direct Specialty Trade bidding session conducted by the Exchange.
 Providing pick-up notification on behalf of the Coffee Producer to the Exchange within twentyfour hours following the Direct Specialty Trade bidding session, regarding the date and time ofrequested delivery of the coffee from the Exchange warehouse.
 Arranging transportation for the delivery of the coffee from the Exchange warehouse to the
Export Service Provider‟s warehouse within three working days following the Direct Specialty
Trade bidding session and clear all fees and charges by the Exchange. A legal representative of
the Coffee Producer shall accompany the consignment for delivery to the Export Service
Provider‟s warehouse. If there is any weight difference between the weight measurements at the
Exchange warehouse and the Export Service Provider‟s warehouse, the Export Service Provider‟smeasurement will control.
 If pre-export processed coffee, export processing and preparation, including but not limited tomilling, hand picking, bagging, labeling and marking bags, within ten working days following
delivery of coffee to the Export Service Provider‟s warehouse.

29Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual Arranging export certification inspection and obtaining inspection certificate from the relevant
authority.
 Arranging transportation of coffee to the port and customs clearing and forwarding within threeworking days following completion of export processing and preparation, and paying all related
expenses on behalf of the Coffee Producer.
 Opening letter of credit in the name of and on behalf of the Coffee Producer.
 Ensuring the proceeds are credited to the Coffee Producer‟s account at the respective Bank.
 Accepting responsibility from the delivery of the coffee to the Export Service Provider‟swarehouse to the point of sale (FOB Port) for: (1) loss, (2) fire, (3) misplacement, (4) quality
deterioration; (5) loss of weight; (6) change of the coffee; and (7) theft.
 In case of a pre-shipment weight loss, notifying the buyer of the weight loss.
 Accepting responsibility to clear the Coffee Producer‟s obligation at the National Bank ofEthiopia by presenting the appropriate documents including the credit advice.
 At all time, using best effort to communicate and cooperate with the Coffee Producer and thebuyer to facilitate the efficient and expedient conclusion of the transaction.
DST Operational Agreement (Annex to International Sales Contract)
The key elements of the Export Service Provider Agreement, namely the identity and liabilities of theexport service provider, would be required to be annexed as a DST Operational Agreement, provided as
Appendix B, in the international sales contract signed between producer and buyer after the DST bidding
session, which makes the export service provider agreement terms legally binding as part of theinternational contract.
Traceability and Transparency on Returns to Farmers
Clearly, a core objective of DST is to allow traceability based trading through ECX. However, in
addition, DST can also offer transparency in the pricing and returns to growers, which is also of interest to
the market. However, because transparency also comes at the cost of losing valuable businessinformation to the seller, and may enable the raising of the final price to the consumer, there is anadditional premium that should be priced into the sale when such financial disclosure is made.
Thus, the DST Operational Agreement annexed to the international sales contract also contains an
optional Transparency Clause, in which the fee paid to the service provider and the average price of thecherry offered to the specific farmers would be disclosed. This allows the buyer to impute the returns to
the grower out of the final FOB price. To avail this information, the buyer would be required to add afixed “transparency premium” established in advance by the Exchange, to the agreed bid price.
With or without this transparency clause, ECX is also committed to ensuring that DST assures a fairreturn to the farmers who produced the specialty coffee. Thus, ECX commits to all sides of the market
that it will ensure, through reviewing the fees specified in the Agreement and through auditing from time
to time, that a minimum farmer share of 85% of final FOB price is maintained. This is a major branding30

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manualof the DST initiative if a national marketing system can make such a commitment and ensure that thisprinciple is maintained.
Terms and Conditions of DST Bidding that must be agreed to by sellers and buyers
 Only pre-registered buyers and qualified producers may participate in the DST bidding session.
 All prices in the Direct Specialty Trade bidding session shall be on a FOB Port, prompt shipment
basis.
 The Exchange shall require a minimum return of 85 percent of the final FOB price to the
producer (as may be audited by the Exchange from time to time).
 Prices and quantities quoted in any international sales contracts resulting from Direct Specialty
Trade bidding sessions shall be tracked and announced publicly by the Exchange.
 The Exchange shall require that all Direct Specialty Trade producers enter into an Exchangeapproved Export Service Provider agreement, in which all responsibilities and liabilities up to
delivery to the international buyer are specified, unless the producer is specifically exempted inwriting by the Exchange.
 All international sales contracts resulting from a Direct Specialty Trade bidding session shallrequire reference to an Operational Agreement entered into between the producer and the Export
Service Provider, in which the identity and roles and liabilities of the Export Service Provider are
indicated.
 Buyers may indicate at pre-registration their willingness to engage in a Direct Specialty Trade
Transparency Clause in the Operational Agreement, in which the payment to the farmers and thefees paid to the Export Service Provider are disclosed. If this is the case, the buyer shall pay a
fixed transparency premium in addition to the agreed price in the Direct Specialty Trade bidding
session. The Exchange shall determine and pre-announce the transparency premium from time to
time.

31

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

ADDENDUM 2: ETHIOPIAN COFFEE GROWERS,PRODUCERS AND EXPORTERS ASSOCIATIONMEMBERS LIST
Date: 21/02/11

S.N

NAME OF THE COFFEE
PLANTATIONADDRESSREGIONZONEKEBELE

Limukossa
Gurarferda
Amaro kela
Guraferda

Kossa
Biftu
Derba
MenenaOjemeta1
2
3

Abera Yimer
Alemayehu G/Mariam
Amaro Gayo

Oromia
SNNP
SNNP

4

SNNP

Bench Maji

SNNP
SNNP

Sheka
Benchmaji

Anderacha
Gurafarda

OromiaJimma

Limu kossa

Oromia &SNNP
OromiaLimu Bench
Maji
Jimma

Limu genet

SNNP

KefaSheka

Yeki

SNNP
SNNP

Keffa
Bench Maji

Decha
Mizan Aman

SNNP
Oromia

Sheka
Jimma

SNNP

17

Berhan Agriculture andCommercial P.L.C
Belay Welasha Coffee Plantation
Betrework Alemu Agriculture
Development
Bezuayehu Shone Coffee
Plantation P.L.C
Coffee Plantation Development
Enterprise
Dedessa Agricultural
Development & Agro Industry
PLC
Denbi Fuafuate Agriculture &Trade share PLC
Ethio Rute International P.L.C
Epherta Integrated Agricultural
Devlopment PLC
Gahi Bere P.L.C
Galle Kemisie Agro Industry
P.L.C
Gezahegn Adgeh Agricultural
Development
Home land Organic Coffee Agro
Industry
Ibrahim Hussien Coffee Exporter

18
19
20
21

5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33

Jimma
Bench

WOREDA

YEAR
OF
ESTAB
LISHM
ENT
1994
1989
1998

Area
Ha
71.5
276
70

1986

650

Gecha
Biftu

1998
1990

170
520

Kila
Gebissa
Sedilola

1996

200

1974

21000

Gale

1987

200

1993

250

1992
2000

250
250

Yeki
Limukosa

Yeba
Mizan
TeferiAchane
Gale

1994
1994

76
126

Bench Macji

Gurdaferda

Berhane

1993

531

SNNP

Keffa

Gimbo

Yeyebto1992

500

OromiaJimma

Limukossa

1991

105

Ketemi P L C

OromiaJimma

Limukossa

2000

200

Kemal Mussa Coffee
J J J Agro Industry P.L.C
Lem Kefa Coffee and Spices
Agro Industry P.L.C.
L. H Coffee Agro Industry
Label P.L.C
Limu Kosa Agro Industry P.L.C
Maji Agro Forest P.L.C
Moges Yimer Beyene Coffee
Mormora Coffee Plantation
Mordo Coffee
Mulneha Coffee Exporter
Negussie Lemma Edeto Coffe
Plantation Development
Shemeles Demise Coffee Farm
Shimeket Deba Coffee
Plantation
Shishi Hopi Agriculture & Trade
PLC

SNNP
Oromia
SNNP

Benchi maji
Jimma
Keffa

Gurdaferda
Gera
GewataBurka
Gudina
Kossa
Gesha
Kone
Sidi lola
Wodiye

2000
1994
1991

500
136
250

SNNP
OromiaOromia
SNNP
SNNP
OromiaOromiaOromiaOromia

Keffa
Jimma
Jimma
Bench Maji
Bench Maji
Guji
Guji
W.Wellega
Limu kossa

GewataLimu kossa
Limukossa
Bero
Gurarferda
ShakisoAdoshabiso
Anfilo
Kosa

1992
1993
1996
1991
1994
1991
1996
1997
1990

650
400
320
500
800
200
264.5
300
120

SNNP
OromiaBench Maji
Jimma

Gorarferda
Limu Kossa

MedaboKossa
Kossa
Bero Kale
Ferka
Reji
MagadoWabi teba
Mita
Gundu
Otowa
Welenso

1990
2001

200
120

SNNP

Sheka

Yeki

Dafi

1997

500

33

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

Gambela
SNNP
OromiaMesenger
Keffa
Guji

Godre
Ginba
Oda Shakiso

MengeshaTega
Shakiso

SNNP

South OMO

-

Shika

1994

133

SNNP

Sheka

Yeki

Achani

1993

150

39
40

Siraj Negwo
Tegna Tula Liyu Coffee
TD GG Highland forest Coffee
Producer
Teferi & Son’s Coffee Plantation
Enterprise
Tesfaye Abero Agricultural
Development
Tepi Farmers Union
Wato Coffee Plantation

YEAR
OF
ESTAB
LISHM
ENT
1999
1992
2001

SNNP
OromiaBench Maji
E.wellega

Fetema

1997

110

41
42

Yasmi Coffee Plantation PLC
Yeti Agro Industry PLC

OromiaOromia

Yeti
Yeti

2000
2000

100
200

43
44

Yidnekachew Debassa
Yukro Agro Industry PLC
Total

OromiaOromiaKelem
Kelem
wellega
Jimma
Jimma

Leka
DulechaAnfiloAnfiloLimu Kossa
Gera

WeleneSedlisla

2000
1995

120
141
32894

S.N
34
35
36
37
38

NAME OF THE COFFEE
PLANTATIONADDRESSREGIONZONEWOREDAKEBELE

Area
Ha
234
500
200

N.B: 26106 Ha of Coffee plantation land under development (not yet started harvesting) not considered
here.

34

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

ADDENDUM 3: ETHIOPIAN COFFEE EXPORTERS
ASSOCIATION (ECEA) MEMBERS
No
1
2
3

Telephone1114890 DD
144814 22/29
5547321/5155
601/5155597
52060 29/30

Fax
1114891 DD
4199630

Emailabacofd@ethionet.etabbahwatrading@ethionet.et

Web Site

4

Exporter's Name
Abadir Coffee trading PLC
Abbahawa Trading Pvt. Ltd Co
Abco Marketing & Dristribution
PLC
Addis Exporter Ltd (PLC)155129256Adem Bedane Oda Imp-Exp
Adulina Coffee Exporter PLC

1222550/1/2
44260

305638 1/44425947

www.addisexport
er.com7
8

Alfoz Pvt Ltd Co
Al-Impex Import & Export

1/10
6634400

61883496630451

9
10
11

Aleta Land Coffee PLC
al-sam pvt. Ltd. Co.
Alpha Trading Partners PLC

6525880
1 217/544
315/338

6460687
15579055528085

addisexp@ethionet.et,addisexporter@gmail.com
adem.bedane@ethionet.etadulinacoffee@yahoo.com,
adulinatraffic@gmail.com
alfoz@ethionet.etalulaginlchael@al-impex.com,
psam@al-ipex.com
aletacoffee@yahoo.com
export@alsamplc.com
alphatrp@ethionet.et12

Almaz Zeleke Coffee Exporter

62978406298224

azcoffee@ethionet.et1314Altaysir Trading PLC
Ambassa Enterprise PLC

1 166/645
794/88743941844654888

altysir@ethionet.etambassa@ethionet.et15

2 7/7255534260

amdehun@ethionet.et6291322/53/76

6291324

18

Amdehun General Trading
PLC
ATL Trading PLC Coffee
ExportAyinage General Trading PLC

1129346 DD

1330201atlcoffeess@yahoo.com,
atltrading@ethionet.etayinage_gtplc@yahoo.com

19
20

Aziza PLC
Bahomed Trading PLC

15695302754433

semedexp@ethionet.etbahomed@ethionet.et

21
22
23

Baininif Trading PLC
Barkume Coffee Export PLC
Bashanfer Trading PLC

278996966167026463819AA

baminiftrading@ethionet.etbarkumecoffee@ethionet.etbashanfer@ethionet.et AA,
bashfer@ethionet.et DD

24
25

Ba Shawieh Trading PLC
Belete Shibeshi PLC

2593735
1550590ba_shawieh@yahoo.com
beshi@ethionet.et26

Bulehora Trading PLC

415/4172751085/2763
388/2
43170 57/64
505/521646382122/3AA
1113443/1110
807 DD2593732/2/4/6
1112762/1559
190/6
84019024421878

27

Cabey PLC

4671699

28

Camels Trading Enterprise
PLC
Challa Mulissa Coffee Exporter
Challenge Coffee Traders PLC
Coffee Plantation Development
Enterprise
Coffee Plantation &Warehouse Enterprise
Costa Memories Trading PLC
Daye Bensa Coffee Exporter
PLC
Demis Ayenew Coffee Export
Dukle Wakaoe Dakola Coffee
Exporters
Durane Pvt. Ltd. Co.
East African Group (Ethiopia)
PLC
Ermage Business PLC

4671691/4672
022/4671697
195/463bulehora@yahoo.com,
info@bulehoratrading.com
cabey@ethionet.et2762623

camels@ethionet.et101/2414663630/2/3
1 124/993

15514284663634
4670687

challa@ethionet.et
chcoffee@ethionet.etcoffeepl@ethionet.et4421238/4423
489/903715944932038 4/5442372237159454660184

info@cpwe.com.et,
cpwe@ethionet.etcosta@ethionet.etdbceplc@ethionet.et4666001
4402953

46660314402963

dyatse@gmail.com
dwdcoffee@ethionet.et44004495525277/5150
172/5526812
84000318

44317755526822

durame@ethionet.etexport@eastagroup.com

4401764

ermage@ethionet.et

17

29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39

www.alimpex.com
www.alphatrading-eth.com
www.aztcoffee.comwww.ethionet.et/ambassa

www.aynagetradi
ng.com.etwww.bashanfer.comwww.bulehoratrading.com35

Ethiopian Coffee Buying ManualNo
40

Exporter's Name
Ethiopian Commodities PLC

41

Ethio Agri-CEFT PLC

42

45
46

Ethiopian Grain/Coffee Trade
Enterprise
Garden Mocca PLC
Ghion Industrial & Commercial
PLC
GMT Industrial PLC
Green Coffee Agro-Industry

47
48

Green Gold Ethiopia PLC
Guji Coffee Export PLC

49

Guna Trading House PLC

50

Haicof Limited PLC

51

Haider Abamecha Import &ExportHaileslassie Ambaye Deres
General Import & Export
Hanyon International TradingEnterprises
Helen Gebrenigus Coffee Exp
Horra Trading

43
44

52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69

70

Ibero & Jos Hanson/Ethiopia
Ltd
Ibrahim Hussien Coffee
ExporterJ.J. Kothari & Co. Ethiopia Ltd
Kaleb Service Farmers House
PLC
Kedir Haji Hassen Coffee
ExporterKana Import-Export Pvt
Enterprise
KK Private Limited Company
KMM Trading Pvt. Ltd.
Company
Lata Agri Export
L. H. Agro Industry PLC
Makfam PLC
Mamo Kacha PLC
Mawi Coffee & General
Business PLC
Mohammed A. Ogsadey Imp
Exp

Telephone5517637/5517
906/5533834
6637780

Fax
5517222

Emailet.comm@ethionet.et

Web Site

6615573

ethioagriceft@ethionet.et,ethioagri@ethionet.etwww.ethioagriceft.com

125246 14/53
2800491/2793
360/1/2/3/4/5
1 653/961
4421634/4420
770/5512986
1 16/675
663091064617912794770

gardenmocca@ethionet.etghionexp@ethionet.et,ghiongas@ethionet.etgmt.fts@ethionet.etgcaiplc@ethionet.et465228/46513
01/465012
5510124/5512
689/5515117
44004974654633

4421277

haicofltd@ethionet.et,haicocofcoffee@yahoo.com
habamecha@ethionet.et6187050

6186990

haileam@ethionet.et928/985699/742haniyoni@yahoo.com

14424141/6525
502/032753686/2757
073/2757069
4392533

6631058
442106

hgn.coffee@ethionet.ethorratrade@ethionet.et2753433

moplaco@ethionet.et4392434

84747 27/55
998/999

211868 17/22
4393674

Ibrahim_hussien_exporter@yahoo.com
j.jkothari@ethionet.etexpkaleb@ethionet.et43909314393085kedirhassen@ethionet.et

1 5/524

5506204

kana@ethionet.et

1 61/840

5534705

coffee@kkethiopia.com

1 304/333

8401478

alkesso@yahoo.com

55403981
155150101125923 DD

5540395
5511317
1 245/704
5531710125922 DD

altaexport@ethionet.etl.horgcoffee@ethionet.etmakfam@ethionet.etmamo_kacha@yahoo.com
info@mawicoffee.com

1558899/5514
33AA
1112898/1113
425DD
3470541

1553773AA/1
111024DD

ogsadey@ethionet.et3470542mohammed@ethionet.et4161883

4161883

amgt_3a@yahoo.com

6456011/2AA
113972DD

moplaco@ethionet.et

550151643939384655556
55199714342033
66309115516888

husagra@ethionet.etgujicoffee@ethionet.et,gujicoffee@yahoo.com
guna.trading@ethionet.et72

Mohammed Hussien Coffee
Exporter
Mohammed Nassir Alaned
Alhurish Coffee Export
Moplaco Trading Co. Ltd

73
74

Moredocofe Sole Enterprise
Muluneli Kaka Coffee Exporter

6456002/8/645
5999AA/11139
71DD
5506115
175

Nardos Coffee Export

1 1/6434667546

moredocofe@ethionet.etmkcoffeeexporter@ethionet.etnardostr@ethionet.et76
77

Nehneya General Trading PLC
Nejat International PLC

1
353/457

41601401

nehmeya7@yahoo.com
nejat@ethionet.et71

36

www.ghions.com

www.horracoffee.
com

www.kanacoffe.com.etwww.kkethiopia.comwww.coffee.com

www.mkakacoffee.com
www.nardoscoffee.com

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

No
78
79

Exporter's Name
Oromia Coffee Farmers
Cooperative Union
Paul Ries & Sons Eth Ltd

80
81

Rayan Investments PLC
Robera Pvt Ltd Company

1551315/1553
194/1550233
6189221/22/24
1

82

S. A. Bagersh PLC

6620926/7/8

6620827

83
84

Said Jemal Rahmato PLC
Samachew Kebede ExportImport
Sheik Habib Farid International
PLC
Sidama Coffee Farmers
Cooperative Union
S.J. Magdalinos PLC
S.M.S. Private Limited Co.
Tekle Tikue Coffee Exporter
Testi Trading PLC
Tracon Trading PLC

44653 11/94
141073964391677

bagershtrade@ethionet.et,bagersh@ethionet.etrahmate@ethionet.etsimex19@yahoo.com

1112058/1114
097 DD
4407165

1114062 DD

shf@ethionet.et4407166

1 334/849
44229248343 9/28
55417072774208/2789
331/2
5549056

1550310443147046722605541608
2773221sidacoop@ethionet.et,sidacoop@yahoo.com
s.j.magdalinos@ethionet.et
sms@ethionet.etteklet@ethionet.ettplc218@gmail.com
tracon3q@ethionet.et5549055

melakfd@yahoo.com

8602622809/95464671945527109

weldeyesus@yahoo.com
win@ethionet.et66313816631382

wonberta@ethionet.et5521009/5521
458/5521457
501/503
2248 9/70

5513654

wondo.ftra@ethionet.et722/725
1573971

director@zebadgei.com
zege@ethionet.et

85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92

96

Waleligh Belay Yeshanew
General Import & Export
Weldeyesus Business PLC
Winta International Trading
PLC
Wonberta Ger=neral Import&
Export Pvt Ltd Co
Wondo Trading PLC

9798

Zebad General Export & Import
Zege PLC

93
94
95

Telephone4673256

Fax
4673262

Emailconfunion@ethionet.et1551278

paulries@ethionet.et61892276461454

rayaninvst@ethionet.etrobera@ethionet.et

Web Sitewww.oromiacoffe
eunion.org

www.roberacoffee.com

www.sidacoop.com

www.tracontrading.com

www.wonberta.com37

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

ADDENDUM 4: IMPORTERS AND TRADERS OFETHIOPIAN COFFEE BEANS
Importer

Location

Address

Holliday &Company Inc.

Toronto, Canada

416 225
2217

Christine
RenkenAll World Coffee
LLC

Somerset, NJ

732 805
3200

John Bunker

Amcafe, Inc.

New Rochelle,NY

914 5762533

MichaelGlenisterAmerican Coffee
Corp

Jersey City, NJ

201 433
2500

Anthony
CaputoArmenia Coffee
Corp. Silver
Spoon Gourmet
Division
Artisan Coffee
Imports LLC

Purchase, NY

4141 Yonge St., Set.
301 Toronto, ON
M2P-2A880 Cottontail Ln Ste
101 Somerset, NJ
08873
459 Main St Ste 203
New Rochelle, NY
10801
30 Montgomery St
Ste 215 Jersey
City, NJ 07302
2975 Westchester
Ave. Purchase, NY
10577

914 694
6100

John Randall

Ann Arbor, MI

1550 Westfield Ave
Ann Arbor, MI 48103(734) 7176278

Ruth Church

Asia Coffee
Imports

Los Angeles, CA

323-3604320

Atlantic
Specialty Coffee,
Inc.

Hayward, CA

3121 E 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA
90063
24301 Southland Dr
Ste 600 Hayward,
CA 94545

RobertLopezMartinez
Andi C.
TrindleAtlas Coffee
Importers, LLC

Seattle, WA

1402 NW 85th St
Seattle, WA 98117(206) 6524880

Craig Holt

Balzac Brothers& Co

Charleston, SC(843) 7238020

RaymondKeane

Blaser Trading
USA

Fort Lauderdale,FL(954) 3161605

Wally Sousa

Bodhi Leaf
TradingCompany

Yorba Linda, CA(714) 3506156

Steve Sims

Brasc Coffee
Importers

Simpsonville, SC

11 Fulton St
Charleston, SC
29401
7501 Nw 4Th St Ste
201
Fort Lauderdale, FL
33317
22765 Savi Ranch
Pkwy Ste B
Yorba Linda, CA
92887
PO BOX 80967
Simpsonville, SC
29680(864) 5615519

RicardoPereiraBrazilian Estates
CoffeeBeaverton, OR(503) 5210141

Bruno S.
Souza

Cafe Imports

Saint Paul, MN

14780 Sw Osprey Dr
Ste 305
Beaverton, OR 97007
2140 Energy Park Dr
Ste CSaint Paul, MN(651) 2096102

Andrew
MillerCafe Lobo

New Orleans, LA

336 Camp St Ste 350
New Orleans, LA
70130(504) 5250082

John
Ostrand38

Phone(510) 7801110

Primary
Contact

Websitehttp://www.teacoff.com

Email
Address
crenken@teac
off.com

http://www.
amcof.com
slvrspngmt@armeniacoffee.com
www.artisan
coffeeimpor
ts.comhttp://www.
atlanticspec
ialtycoffee.com
http://www.
atlascoffee.
com
http://www.
balzac.net
http://www.
blasertradingusa.com
http://www.
bodhileaftra
ding.com
http://www.
brasccoffeei
mporters.comruth.church@s
bcglobal.net
washingtonix@yahoo.com
atrindle@ecom
trading.com

jroberts@atlascoffee.com
rayk@balzac.netcoffee@blasert
radingusa.com
bodhileaftradin
g@sbcglobal.n
ethttp://www.
beccor.com

beccor@earthli
nk.nethttp://www.cafeimports.com

info@cafeimpo
rts.comcafelobo@bell
south.net

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

Importer

Location

AddressPhone

39-40632
Government Rd
Squamish, BC
V8B0M71863 Pioneer Pkwy E# 301
Springfield, OR
97477
103 W Weaver St Ste
8
Carrboro, NC
2118 Wilshire Blvd
Ste 634
Santa Monica, CA
90403
2121 Ponce De Leon
Blvd Ste 930
Miami, FL 33134
PO BOX 140706
Staten Island, NY
10314
4051 Ensenada Ave
Miami, FL 33133(877) 6873884

Primary
ContactNatashaInzaniCaffe Musetti

BC, Canada

CapeHorn/Tristao

Springfield, OR(541) 7265282

Paul
Leighton

Caravela Coffee

Carrboro, NC(919) 6365861

Mr. Badi E.
Bradley

Castle & Co.

Santa Monica,CA(310) 4795999

Timothy J.
CastleCoex Coffee

Miami, FL(305) 4440568

Bev Rogers

Coffee Holding

Staten Island,NY(718) 8320800

Karen
GordonCoffeeResources Inc.

Miami, FL(305) 4481383

Felipe Isaza

Coffee Shrub

Oakland, CA

1115 21St St
Oakland, CA 94607(510) 6280919

Thompson
Owen

Coffeebythebag.
com, Inc.

Miami, FL

6910 Nw 50Th St Ste
13338
Miami, FL 33166(305) 4072633

Mr. Mauricio
Carbonell

CoffeinCompagnie

Germany

Sebaldsbruecker
Heerstr. 191 A
Bremen, 28309

49 42 14101107

Jens Eckhoff

Cooperative
CoffeesAmericus, GA

302 W Lamar St
Americus, GA 31709(229) 9243035

Bill Harris

Duke & Bean
Coffee LLC

Orange, NJ

16 Tony Galento Plz
Orange, NJ 07050

973) 6753173

Efico S.A.

Belgium(323) 2337865

Equal Exchange

West
Bridgewater, MA

Italiolei 181
Antwerpen, B 2000
Belgium
50 United Dr
West Bridgewater,
MA 02379

Mr. David
Michael Leon
MorrisPatrick
Installe(774) 7767400

Rob Everts

Excelco TradingLP

New York, NY(212) 3447502

Ingrid DiVico

Gabeeyang Co.,Ltd.

South Korea

17 Battery Pl Ste
1010
New York, NY 10004
182-1, Seohyeondong Bungdang-gu
Sungnam

823 170 733
51

Dong-Ki
Yang

Georgetown
Trading, LLC

Fairfax, VA(703) 4016969

Abiy Worku

Global Foods,
Inc.

San Juan, PR

5458 New London
Park Dr
Fairfax, VA 22032
PO BOX 6072
San Juan, PR 00914(787) 7575420

Alejandro
Ruiz

Websitehttp://www.caffemusetti.
com
http://www.capehorncoffee.comhttp://www.caravelacoffe
e.com

Email
Address
info@caffemus
etti.com
paul@capehor
ncoffee.com

info@caravela
coffee.com
tim@castleandcompany.com

http://www.coffeeholding.com
http://www.coffeeresources.com
http://www.sweetmarias.
com
http://www.coffeebythebag.comhttp://www.coffeincompagnie.
dehttp://www.coopcoffees.
com

http://www.
efico.com
http://www.
equalexcha
nge.coop
http://www.
exceltrade.com
http://www.
gabeeyang.
com

http://www.
globalfoods
pr.cominfo@sweetma
rias.com
mc@coffeebythebag.com

exportsales@c
offeincompagnie.de
info@coopcoff
ees.comefico@efico.com
info@equalexc
hange.coop
ingrid@exceltr
ade.com

georgetowntra
ding@gmail.comcontact@globa
lfoodspr.com

39Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

Importer

Location

Globus Coffee
LLC

Manhasset, NY

426 Plandome Rd
Manhasset, NY
11030(516) 3045780

Primary
Contact
Mr. Kurt
Kappeli

Green Source
CoffeeLos Angeles, CA

435 N Martel Ave
Los Angeles, CA
90036(514) 8451200

Nathalie
GabbayInge Karisson
HAB

SwedenRubanksgatan 4
SE-741 71
Knivsta(461) 8349440

Inge
KarlssonInterAmerican
Coffee Inc.

Houston, TX

19500 State Highway
249 Ste 225
Houston, TX 77070(832) 9127000

Mr. Guy P.
Burdett

InterContinental
Coffee Trading
Inc.

Westlake
Village, CA(818) 7060260

Lisa BagleyInternational
Coffee Imports

San Francisco,CA(415) 3201559

Mr ScottBambacigno

Josuma Coffee
Co.

Menlo Park, CA(650) 3665453

Dr. Joseph
John

JSL, SA de CV

Chicago, IL(773) 6800623

Jack Scoville

Kanematsu
Corporation

Tokyo, Japan

81 3 54409579

Yoshikatsu
IdeguchiKeffa Coffee,
LLC

Nottingham, MD

31316 Via Colinas
Ste 115
Westlake Village, CA
91362
PO BOX 330544
San Francisco, CA
94133
PO BOX 1115
Menlo Park, CA
94026
1316 W Fargo Ave
Apt 502
Chicago, IL 60626
2-1 Shibaura 1Chome
Minato-Ku, Tokyo
3405 Saluda Rd
Nottingham, MD
21236(410) 8782874

SamuelDemisseKen Gabbay
Coffee Ltd

Montreal,
Canada(514) 3970011

Alvin Suissa

Kencaf Importing& Distributing

Ontario, Canada(905) 4150778

Mohamedjaff
er Panju

La Minita Coffee

Burlington, VT

1440 Ste Catherine
St. West Ste 730
Montreal, QC H3G
1R8500 Alden Rd., Ste.
211-212
Markham, ON L3R5H532 Lakeside Ave
Burlington, VT 05401(802) 9511168

DennisOgaardhttp://www.laminita.com

Level GroundTrading

BC, Canada

250) 5440932

Mr. Josh Del
Sol

http://www.levelground.
com

List & BeislerGmbH

Germany(494) 0371344

StefanSprengel

MP Mountanosof SoCal, Inc.

Burbank, CA

Unit B 1970 Keating
Cross Rd.
Saanichton, BC V8M
2A6
Pickhuben 6
Hamburg, Hamburg
20457
3700 Cohasset St
Burbank, CA 91505(818) 5655600

Rick
Kourafas

Mai Thai Coffee

Tucson, AZ

PO BOX 70090
Tucson, AZ 85737

520-7974440

Charlie
Milbrodt

Maria’s Cup, Inc.

New York, NY

14 Wall St
20th Flr.
New York, NY 10005

212-6181752

Ms LYNN M.
MILLER

40

Address

Phone

Websitehttp://www.
globuscoffe
e.com
http://www.rgccoffee.com

EmailAddressnathalie@gree
nsourcecoffee.
com

http://www.ingek.sehttp://www.iaccoffee.comtraders@iaccof
fee.com

http://www.i
ctCoffee.com
http://www.icoffeeimpor
ts.comtrading@ictCof
fee.com

http://www.josuma.com

info@josuma.com

info@icoffeeim
ports.com

http://www.coffeenetwork.jp
http://www.keffacoffee.comalvin@kengab
bay.comcoffee@kencaf.com

http://www.li
st-beisler.de
http://www.
mpmountan
osofsocal.com
http://www.
maithaicoffe
e.com
http://www.
mariascup.com

info@laminita.
com
coffee@levelground.commelanie@mpm
ountanosofsoc
al.cominfo@maithaic
offee.com

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

Importer

Location

Address

Phone

Primary
Contact
Leah Warren

Mercanta North
America LLC

Seattle, WA

2012 E Union St
Seattle, WA 98122(206) 3222139

Mercon Coffee
Corp.

Coral Gables, FL(786) 2542300

Richard Etkin

Metro Trades of
New York

New York, NY

2333 Ponce De Leon
Blvd Ste 600
Coral Gables, FL
33134
316 W 14Th St Ste
14
New York, NY 10014(212) 6282923

Josephina
AnaniasMidwest Coffee
Trading

Gardner, KS

14340 S Gardner Rd
Gardner, KS 66030(913) 8563480

Jon Hanson

Mitsubishi
International
Corp.

New York, NY(212) 6052556

Ferd Puliti

Mitsui Foods,
Inc.

Norwood, NJ(201) 7502805

Spencer
Turer

Moledina
Commodities,
Inc.
Mountain Coffee
Corporation

Flower Mound,TX

655 3Rd Ave, 5th
Floor
Coffee and Cocoa
Unit
New York, NY 10017
35 Maple St
Coffee Division
Norwood, NJ 07648
5501 Muirfield Ct
Flower Mound, TX
75022
6791 W Sunrise Blvd
Ste 104
Plantation, FL 33313(817) 4901101

MohamedMoledina

954-3161605

Mr. Marco
Figueiredo

N.J. Douek &Sons, INC.

Montreal,
Canada(514) 8459173

Philip Douek

New Guinea
Traders LLC

Centralia, WA(360) 7365881

Mrs. Aarlie
Hull

Ontheup
International
Co., Ltd.

Taipei, Taiwan

886-227835891

Sherry Lin

Organic
Products
Trading Co. LLC
Panamerican
Coffee Trading

Vancouver, WA(360) 5734433

Garth W.
Smith

506 25216845

Mr. Peter
Sachs

Paragon Coffee
Trading Co.

White Plains, NY

407 McGill St., Ste.
809
Montreal, PQ H2Y2G3
PO BOX 577(166 Summerside Dr.
Courier only)
Centralia, WA 98531
3rd Fl., No. 18, Lane
50, Sec. 3 Nan-GangRoad,
Nan-Gang District,Taipei , Taipei 11510
2908 Nw 93Rd St
Vancouver, WA
98665
P.O. Box 7423
San Jose, 1000
Costa Rica
445 Hamilton Ave
White Plains, NY
10601(914) 9492233

Roland W.
Veit

Quantum Coffee
Inc.

Annapolis, MD

914 Forest Dr Ste
202
Annapolis, MD 21403(410) 2801344

Alf W.
Mildenberger

Red Goni
Coffee, LLC

Los Angeles, CA

5399 Playa Vista Dr
E402
Los Angeles, CA
90094(424) 2284822

JohnsonJohnsonPlantation, FL

San Jose, Costa
Rica

Websitehttp://www.coffeehunter.
com
http://www.
merconcoffee.comhttp://www.
metrotrades.com.brhttp://www.
midwestcoff
eetrading.c
om

Email
Addressrichard@merc
oncoffee.com
altair@metrotr
ades.com.br
trading@midw
estcoffeetrading.com

http://www.
micusa.com
http://www.
mitsuifoods.
com
http://www.
moledina.com
http://www.
mountaincof
feecorporati
on.comhttp://www.
njdouek.com
http://www.
newguineatr
aders.com
www.onthe
up.com.tw

http://www.
optco.com

http://www.
paragoncoffee.comhttp://www.
quantumcof
fee.com
http://www.redgoni.com

mohamed@m
oledina.com
wally@mounta
incoffeecorporation.com
philip@njdoue
k.com
sales@newgui
neatraders.com

info@optco.commailbox@para
goncoffee.com
quantcoff@aol.
com
sales@redgoni
.com

41

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

Importer

Location

Address

Phone

REG Trading
Co.

South San
Francisco, CA(650) 8733699

RGC Coffee Inc.

Montreal,
Canada(514) 8451200

Mr. RonGabbayRothfos
Corporation

White Plains, NY(914) 7614900

MiguelSalazarRoyal Blue
Organics

Eugene, OR

432 N Canal St Ste
10
South San Francisco,
CA 94080
1350 Sherbrooke
West
Suite 600
Montreal, QC
H3G1J1
10 Bank St Ste 690
White Plains, NY
10606
PO BOX 21123
Eugene, OR 97402

Primary
Contact
Ricardo E.
De Guzman(541) 3389585

Brad Lerch

Royal Coffee
New York, Inc.

Edison, NJ(732) 9022132

James
Schoenhut

Royal Coffee,
Inc.

Emeryville, CA

180 RARITAN
CENTER PKWY STE
207
EDISON, NJ 08837
3306 Powell St
Emeryville, CA 94608(510) 6524256

RobertFulmerRoyal PacificIndustry

Baldwin Park,CA(626) 3376836

Heru Khoe

San Cristobal
Coffee Importers

Kirkland, WA

5135 Lante St
Baldwin Park, CA
91706
13244 Juanita Dr Ne
Kirkland, WA(425) 8259106

DevorahZeitlin

Sandalj Trading
Co. SPA

Trieste, Italy

39 040 676
7911

Mr. Vincenzo
Sandalj

Serengeti
TradingCompany

Dripping
Springs, TX(512) 3589595

Jessica
Sellers

SFT Trading Ltd.

Moscow, Russia

7 495
6827445

AndreySavinov

Sriwijaya Coffee

Milwaukee, WI

Via Rossini, 14
Trieste, 34132
Italy
19100 Hamilton Pool
Rd
Dripping Springs, TX
78620
Office 926,
Olminskogo Proezd
3a
Moscow, 129085
RUSSIA
1905 N Water St
Milwaukee, WI 53202(201) 7439248

SudibyoPradonoStoikoff Coffee
Company

BC, Canada

9280 Arvida Drive
Richmond, BC V7A
3P4778) 9188498

Mr. Juan
Puac

Sustainable
Harvest Coffee
Co.

Portland, OR(503) 2351119

Dave
Griswold

Swiss Water
DecaffeinatedCoffee Co., Inc.
Terra Alta
Coffee, LLC

BC, Canada(604) 4204050

Jinnie Cho(704) 2772841

Frank
Antunez

The Inter TradeCo.

San Francisco,CA(925) 9371234

Alexander J.
CastleThe Salvage
Groups, Inc.

Saint Clair
Shores, MI

Natural CapitalCenter, 721 NW 9th,
Suite 235
Portland, OR 97209
3131 Lake City Way
Burnaby, BC V5A
3A31235 East Blvd Ste
E-232
Charlotte, NC 28203
PO BOX 192226
San Francisco, CA
94119
24025 Greater Mack
Ave Ste 203
Saint Clair Shores,
MI 48080(586) 4987524

Julie E
O'Toole42

Charlotte, NC

WebsiteEmailAddress

http://www.regtrade.comricardo@regtra
de.comwww.rgccoff
ee.cominfo@rgccoffee.com

trading@rothfos.com
http://www.cafemam.comhttp://www.royalny.com
http://www.royalcoffee.com
http://www.royalpi.com
http://www.sancristocafe.com
http://www.sandalj.com

coffee@cafem
am.comtradingdesk@r
oyalny.com

info@royalcoffee.com

devz@sancristocafe.com
info@sandalj.comjessica@seren
getitrading.com

http://www.sft-trading.ru

postmaster@sf
t-trading.com

www.sriwija
yacoffee.comwelcome@sriw
ijayacoffee.com

http://www.stoikofforganic.com/

info@stoikoffor
ganic.com

http://www.sustainableharvest.com
http://www.swisswater.comdavid@sustain
ableharvest.com
info@swisswat
er.comfrank.antunez@terraaltacoff
ee.cominttracor@aol.com

http://www.salvagegrou
ps.comtraders@salva
gegroups.com

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

Importer

Location

Address

Phone

Theta Ridge
Coffee, LLC

South Bend, IN(574) 2332436

UCC Ueshima
Coffee Co.

San Francisco,CA3725 Foundation Ct
Ste ESouth Bend, IN
46628
723A Liggett Ave
San Francisco, CA
94129415) 4408221

Jay Egami

Virmax Limited

London, UK

44-207-9399955

Giancarlo
Ghiretti

VolcafeSpecialty Coffee,
LLC

Petaluma, CA

78 Marylebone HighStreet Unit 374
London, W1U 5AP
25 Western Ave
Petaluma, CA 94952

Volcafe USA
LLC
Vournas Coffee
Trading

Somerset, NJ732) 4699622(818) 8791443

John
DeMuria
Andrew
VournasWalker Coffee
Trading, LP

Houston, TX

80 Cottontail Ln
Somerset, NJ 08873
30961 Agoura Rd Ste
109
Westlake Village, CA
91361
2900 Wilcrest Dr Ste
485
Houston, TX 77042(713) 7807050

Mr. CarlDavid Walker

Wataru & Co.,Ltd.

Tokyo, Japan81 03 35038363

Mr. Kenkichi
NishioZephyr Green
Coffee LLC

New Orleans, LA

Wataru Bldg. 5F, 119, Nishi-Shimbashi 2Chome
Minato-Ku, Tokyo
1800 Hastings Pl
New Orleans, LA
70130(504) 5691595

Scott Reed

Westlake
Village, CA

Primary
Contact
Kevin Kuyers(707) 7692680

Websitehttp://www.thetaridgeco
ffee.com
http://www.
uccamerica.com
http://www.v
irmax.com
sales@volc
afespecialty.com
http://www.v
olcafe.com
http://www.v
ournascoffe
e.com
http://www.
walkercoffe
e.com
http://www.
wataru.co.jp
http://www.zephyrcoffee
.com

Email
Address
Kevink@thetar
idge.com

info@virmax.com
http://www.volc
afespecialty.com
jd@volcafeusa.com
andrew@vour
nascoffee.com
trading@walkercoffee.com

iteam.tky@wat
aru.co.jp
info@zephyrcoffee.com

43

ADDENDUM 5: COFFEE PROCESSINGSTATIONS IN WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual

Established through the TechnoServe Coffee Initiative Ethiopia

46

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual47

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual48

ADDENDUM 6: AN OVERVIEW OF COFFEE
TYPES AND THE BEAN MORPHOLOGY

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual50Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual51

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual52Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual53Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual54

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual55

Ethiopian Coffee Buying Manual56

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ADDENDUM 7: ECX CONTRACT
CLASSIFICATIONS AND DELIVERY CENTERS

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Practical Guidelines for Purchasing andImporting Ethiopian Specialty Coffee Beans