What Is Ninety Plus LevelUp Coffee?

If you’ve ever wondered why some single-origin coffees are labeled with mysterious names that don’t match any known region or farm, you’re not alone. Many coffee lovers are curious about how certain green coffee lines get their unusual monikers—and what those names actually mean for the cup. One such series offers a clear clue in its title: it’s called LevelUp.

LevelUp is a specialty Ethiopian green coffee series launched jointly by Ninety Plus, a well-known processing company, and Bodhi Leaf, a green coffee trader. Unlike most beans named after regions or farms, these coffees are named for their dominant flavor profiles—and those names come from local Ethiopian languages, directly describing what you taste.

What Is LevelUp Coffee?

LevelUp is not a standalone brand, but a sub-series under Ninety Plus, created in collaboration with Bodhi Leaf. It focuses exclusively on Ethiopian coffee origins. The key difference from typical origin-labeled beans? These coffees aren’t named after growing regions or farms. Instead, each coffee in the LevelUp series is named for a specific, prominent flavor note—and those names are in Ethiopian languages, intended as direct, sensory descriptions.

Why Flavor Names Instead of Places?

Naming coffee after flavors rather than geography is unusual in the specialty market, where origin often drives consumer expectations. But for the team behind LevelUp, the goal was to shift focus toward what’s in the cup. Each name reflects a dominant tasting note that’s immediately recognizable—think of it as a sensory shortcut. By using Ethiopian-language terms, the names also root the coffee in its place of origin, even as they describe its flavor.

How Does This Series Work?

The LevelUp series consists of carefully processed Ethiopian coffees, developed through Ninety Plus’s advanced processing methods. The beans are selected and processed to highlight specific flavor characteristics, then given names in local Ethiopian dialects that describe those flavors. This approach turns the naming convention into part of the coffee’s identity—helping roasters and consumers alike anticipate flavor profiles before brewing.

Who Is Behind LevelUp?

LevelUp is a collaboration between Ninety Plus, a company renowned for experimental processing techniques and high-scoring experimental lots, and Bodhi Leaf, a green coffee importing and trading company. Together, they aim to bring unique, flavor-forward Ethiopian coffees to the global specialty market, with a focus on consistency, traceability, and sensory clarity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name LevelUp mean in coffee?

LevelUp is the name of a specialty coffee series created by Ninety Plus and Bodhi Leaf. It refers to a line of Ethiopian green coffees named for their flavor profiles, not their regions. The name “LevelUp” suggests a step forward in how coffee is labeled and perceived—focusing on taste rather than origin.

Are LevelUp coffees from a specific region in Ethiopia?

Yes, LevelUp coffees are Ethiopian, but they are not labeled by specific regions or farms. Instead, each coffee is identified by a flavor name, often in an Ethiopian language, which describes its dominant taste note. The exact growing areas may vary, but all beans originate from Ethiopia.

Why are the coffee names in an Ethiopian language?

The names in the LevelUp series are in Ethiopian local languages because they describe the coffee’s flavor in the growers’ own terms. This approach connects the taste directly to its origin and offers a sensory description rather than a geographic label, enhancing the coffee’s identity.

Who produces the LevelUp coffee series?

LevelUp is produced through a partnership between Ninety Plus, a specialty coffee processing company known for innovation, and Bodhi Leaf, a green coffee trader. Together, they developed this series to highlight flavor-first Ethiopian coffees with unique processing.

What makes LevelUp different from other Ethiopian coffees?

Unlike most Ethiopian coffees named after regions or farms, LevelUp coffees are named for their flavor profiles. The series emphasizes taste over origin, using flavor-descriptive names from Ethiopian languages. The beans are processed with a focus on highlighting specific cup characteristics.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee for Exploring Unique Flavors

FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe displays bright citrus and floral notes, perfect for exploring delicate, aromatic profiles similar to many in the LevelUp series. For something fruitier, try their Ethiopia Guji Huaca with notes of blueberry and tropical fruit. Alternatively, their Ethiopia Gedeb offers complex berry and stone fruit layers. All are single-origin Ethiopian coffees that showcase the kind of vibrant, distinctive flavors LevelUp highlights. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.