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November 2011
Price Increase
As you will have read in the Press, coffee prices have risen sharply during the last few years, which represents in many ways a cyclical upturn. However, this time, another contributing factor has been the rise of commodity prices, which affects transport, packaging, and gas for roasting. The expanding market for coffee in the Far East has also created more demand which has been fuelled by various natural misfortunes in some of the coffee growing regions. On the other hand, any farmer fortunate enough to survive storm, flood and drought is set to make good returns. So we look forward to exciting more varieties of coffee coming from entrepreneurs offering their best Arabica beans.
We, in the meantime, will do our best to make your coffee experience as cost efficient as possible. We are offering minimum orders only to make postage more cost efficient; we are also offering 1kg bags beans which you can put in your freezer giving it a much longer shelf life - these you can grind as and when you want them (say every week). Freshly ground coffee releases the aromas as you grind which is a much better way to enjoy your coffee.
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Ethiopia Field Trip, October 2011
One month in the country talking coffee daily. Visited exporter’s factory in Addis Ababa where a few ladies remained to sort the last of the season’s crop. Cupped an excellent Sidamo which will be available in the new year in the UK. Upbeat prices for farmers, but warned they will go up further for those of us down the line who process and drink coffee.
Most interestingly, made a visit to the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) which began trading in coffee in 2008. The electronic system that allows farmers instant access to that day’s prices, and a revolution in mobile phones that also allows them to see the world price, gives them much greater bargaining power. Moreover, farmers can collect their money within 24 hours of a deal being struck, and exporters can collect their goods straightaway. Efficient, fast and effective. Producers are said to be delighted with this system that replaced the auction. It seems churlish of us in importing countries to complain about a loss of traceability because: (1) Ethiopian farmers are very small and they cannot easily supply enough 60kg bags to satisfy an importer, (2) Government authorities so far have made a good job of ensuring the bags we do get are of good quality, even if we don’t know who grew what outside specific regions.
The trading situation is evolving. There is now talk of Futures to provide liquidity into the market.
Spent a weekend in Tigray (the northernmost region) exploring its rock churches decorated with fantastic wall paintings – a local family entertained us to coffee and corn cobs after a particularly hair-raising climb to a church. See our link to Solomon Berhe Tours if you would like to see this wonderful part of Ethiopia for yourself.
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23.10.2009
A new guide book to the customs and culture of Ethiopia written by Sarah is being published 17 November. In it you’ll find a description of the coffee ceremony. Ethiopia: Culture Smart! by Sarah Howard, £6.95 (published by Kuperard in their Culture Smart! series). See www.culturesmartguides.com. You may like to book yourself a trip to Ethiopia with Solomon Berhe. See Links. |
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12.04.2007 - 12:48pm ET
Scottish Specialty Coffee Roaster Shows Support for Ethiopian Coffee Farmers
(CSRwire) ADDIS ABABA/LONDON - December 4, 2007 - As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia has a unique coffee heritage and many of its coffees hold the reputation of being best coffee in the world. Yet the farmers who produce and harvest this crop do not receive much in comparison to what consumers pay for this superior product. To redress this, in 2006 Ethiopia began to trademark its premium coffee designations such as - Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, Harrar/Harar - and to engage more directly with their important distributors and promoters around the world. The network of licensed distributors is now growing rapidly, supporting Ethiopia and the coffee farmers to ensure that they receive the prices of their coffee that they deserve. Recently Highland Coffees joined the network, prepared to support Ethiopia in tackling this challenge.
"We want to offer a warm welcome to Highland Coffees and its customers to our network and we look forward to working with our new partners in Scotland to develop a far greater awareness of Ethiopia's unique coffee story and heritage through sales and promotions to Scottish coffee lovers who care about fine coffee and the farmers who grow them," commented Getachew Mengistie, the Director General of the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office which is spearheading the effort in Ethiopia. "Highland Coffees is an authentic and valued partner for Ethiopia," he added.
After a visit to Ethiopia, Sarah Sherlock, Highland Coffees founder, noticed that there was a lack of Ethiopian coffees available. Ms. Sherlock set up Highland Coffees, a small roastery located in a castle in Perthshire, Scotland, with the aim of roasting and distributing the best Arabica beans from Ethiopia and other countries. Ms. Sherlock has made it a priority to promote efforts to enable local Ethiopian farmers to make a decent living harvesting coffee.
"Highland Coffees believes that a license to sell Ethiopian fine coffees through the registered brand names will enable its customers to focus on what is distinctive and good from that country. In this way its customers will be prepared to pay what it takes to drink a good cup. They will also be happy to know that Ethiopians themselves have a greater control over their own product," comments Ms. Sherlock.
Highland Coffees join eight companies in the United Kingdom who have partnered Ethiopia through their licensing deal and are joining the network. Worldwide there are already 34 licensed distributors of Ethiopia's coffees, and Ethiopia aims to reach out to 150-200 companies involved in the specialty coffee sector.
Scotland is a front runner in awareness of the links between unfair and poverty. A million people marched through the streets of Edinburgh to 'make poverty history' and Scotland is pioneering the criteria to become the first 'Fair Trade Nation' building on the enormous success of fair trade towns in Scotland. Highland Coffees joins Edinburgh-based Equal Exchange, who was the first to sign up in the UK.
Contact Details:
Highland Coffees: Sarah Sherlock +07876 010790
EIPO: Getachew Mengistie, Director General, EIPO +251 1 155534928
Ethiopian Embassy London: Gail Warden +44 (20) 7589-7212
For more information on Ethiopia's Trademarking and Licensing Initiative see the dedicated website: http://www.ethiopiancoffeenetwork.com.
For more information please contact:
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