Ethiopia's admirable coffee country

In the world of coffee, there are countless stories and reports about Ethiopia: the birthplace of coffee, the story of shepherds and the thought-provoking documentary film Black Gold.

These are not the important reasons for our trip, this time we Guangzhou Coffee Association (President Lin Guangchao, Vice President Lin Yaohui, Vice President Xiao Fei, Vice President Tang Jinqing and Mr. Liang Yongming) at the invitation of the Ethiopian Consul General, shoulder the mission of coffee culture exchange and interaction between the two countries to explore Ethiopia. Special thanks to the fraternal associations (Hainan Coffee Association: President Jiang, Vice President Yan, Vice President Tan, Secretary General Fu) who are traveling with us.

during this seven-day trip, each day made us deeply realize that coffee has really dissolved into the bone marrow of ethiopian people!

I have traveled to many countries in the world, and only the coffee culture of Ethiopia has shocked me. Out of the airport shadow is a "four-head BEZZERA professional semi-automatic coffee machine"; and in the following seven days of travel wrapped, whether in the city or poor rural coffee shops, western restaurants, Chinese restaurants or hotels where there is no professional semi-automatic coffee machine, some places even two or more, and their coffee only sold 1~7BIRR(about RMB 3 cents ~2.5 yuan). Do you feel a little suspicious: invest so much to buy coffee machine, but coffee sells so cheap, really do not know when to return to capital? Please rest assured that most people invest in coffee shops there, and they can return to their original value in a year…because coffee really dissolves in their blood, everyone drinks coffee every day…no matter when they go to the coffee shop, people are full.

With such a shocking first impression, let me more seriously to understand Ethiopia's coffee culture! The tour was carefully arranged by the Ethiopian Consulate General as follows: the first stop---Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, the second stop---Ethiopian Coffee Export Association, the third stop---Ethiopian Ministry of Economy and Trade, the fourth stop--Ethiopia's most authoritative national quality inspection center, the fifth stop--Ethiopian Coffee Union (whose leader has been famous for shooting Black Gold"Black Gold"), the sixth stop--Ethiopian Chamber Exporters (Haileselassie Ambaye Industrial), the seventh stop--Ethiopian grain trading enterprises/coffee exporters, the eighth stop--- ZEBAD coffee exporters, and the ninth stop--Awasa Coffee Farm.

In addition to the popularity of professional coffee machines that shocked me, the Ethiopian people's love and professional respect for coffee also deeply touched us! I still remember that it was the first day when I arrived in Ethiopia. The meeting with Ethiopian Coffee Export Association was completed at 5:30 p.m.; later I learned that we had scheduled a meeting with the Minister of Ethiopian Ministry of Economy and Trade. When we arrived, it was already off duty and the security guards had not allowed anyone to enter! After communication, we know that the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation has been waiting for us there! We are very touched! During the meeting, the minister explained the Ethiopian coffee culture, the coffee industry chain structure and the ambition for cooperation between our two countries in a very professional way…Finally, he gave us a very good gift: a sun hat with GIFT TO THE WORLD printed on it! The Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of a country is also so professional, respectful and attaches great importance to coffee! Ethiopia's coffee culture really admires me from the national level to the individual level!

In addition to meeting with Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and Ethiopian Coffee Export Association, institutions at the national level also visited Ethiopian Coffee Bean Quality Inspection Center, the source of coffee bean quality assurance that everyone is very concerned about. After visiting this quality inspection center, our control over the quality of Ethiopian coffee beans can be said to be: ten thousand rest assured! All coffee beans to be exported must be sent to the Ethiopian Coffee Bean Quality Inspection Center. The method they use is that each batch must be "inspected". According to their responsible person, each batch of beans must undergo moisture content testing, grade identification, roasting, cup testing and so on. If the unqualified ones are returned, the qualified ones will be sent to container trucks sealed and sent directly to the port for export to buyers in various countries.

Through the understanding of various departments at the national level, we are very confident in the quality control of Ethiopian coffee beans! But we all know: coffee beans are good or bad depends on her variety, planting environment and process. In order to understand this process in depth, we went down to the famous coffee producing areas "Sidamo" and "Coconut and Sherfie" led by the chairman of the Coffee Alliance (the protagonist of black gold). Ethiopia's coffee beans are mainly Arabica, and Ethiopia is located at high altitudes: the "West Damo" area is at an altitude of 1400 meters to 1900 meters, and the "Coconut Sherfie" is at an altitude of more than 1900 meters. In addition to geographical advantages, Ethiopia's fertile soil, cool climate in the morning and evening, and abundant sunshine at noon provide an excellent natural environment for coffee cultivation. In contrast to some advanced countries, Ethiopia's original cultivation methods are key factors in the quality of coffee beans in Ethiopia: organic cultivation, no chemical fertilizers; manual picking, ensuring that each coffee bean is picked in a mature state; Moreover, 90% of them are smallholder growers_every household has grown and drunk coffee beans for generations, which means that each of them is an expert in coffee cultivation. Under the conditions of weather, geography and people, Ethiopia is inevitable to become a coffee country that we admire.

After deeply understanding the whole process of Ethiopian coffee industry chain: coffee farmers (coffee union), buyers, exporters (coffee export association), national quality inspection center, buyers from all over the world; and deeply experiencing the cultivation of coffee plantations; we unanimously believe that Ethiopia is not only the "birthplace of coffee" but also a pilgrimage place for coffee. Coffee lovers should come to Ethiopia to feel the coffee culture deeply.

After the above careful investigation, Ethiopian coffee culture has deeply conquered each of our coffee messengers, so that our Guangzhou Coffee Association believes that cooperation with Ethiopia is of infinite significance and full of confidence.

First stop: Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia

We thank the Hainan Coffee Association Alliance for exploring Ethiopia together. although i am in a foreign country, i did not forget to visit our embassy there. i am very glad that i learned about the situation of chinese doing business in ethiopia and the matters needing attention during this exchange!!! Thank you, Mr. Yang (right 5)

Second stop-Ethiopian Coffee Export Association

Guangzhou Coffee Association and Ethiopian Coffee Association are carefully discussing the cooperation parties of both parties

The third stop is Ethiopia's Ministry of Economic and Trade

This trip to Ethiopia is very honored to have a long meeting with Ethiopian Minister of Economy and Trade (third from left)!!! The association delegation put on the coffee cap (Gift to the world) presented by him and took a photo together

The fourth stop--Ethiopia's most authoritative national quality inspection center

In addition to cooperation with Ethiopia, the biggest harvest is to understand the overall process of Ethiopian coffee bean quality control. Learn Cupping Together

It's done. Let's take a big picture.

The fifth stop--Ethiopian Coffee Alliance (whose leader was famous for shooting Black Gold"Black Gold")

Professional workers are picking beans skillfully

Station 6-Haileselassie Ambaye Industrial

Haha…Eslite coffee is also seen in Ethiopia

The seventh stop--Ethiopian grain trading enterprises/coffee exporters

The two giants of Ethiopia Grain Group are showing us high quality coffee--coffee drunk in their company has made me memorable so far!

The grain group is one of those that owns a self-processing production line

Self-testing center, very professional

Eighth stop---- ZEBAD coffee exporter

The first from the left is both Chairman of ZEBAD and Chairman of Ethiopian Coffee Export Association. I really admire her for winning glory for African women!

The ninth stop---Avasa Coffee Farm, sightseeing.

Chairman of Coffee Alliance and protagonist of black gold. He fought for the rights and interests of countless coffee farmers, improved their lives, and lived out the meaning of "human". It is worth learning from us.

High quality coffee born above 1900 meters

In addition to coffee, coffee farmers and children also touched our hearts-how I wanted to do my part for Ethiopian children at that moment to improve their lives.