Addis Ababa · Ethiopia
Garden of Coffee
Garden of Coffee roasts in Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa.
Since 2016 · Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu
Overview
Garden of Coffee was launched in 2016 by Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu — the soleRebels founder and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader — to roast-to-order Ethiopian single origins inside Addis Ababa rather than ship green for foreign roasters. Customers pick their bean, roast level, and even which of the company's 17-plus master artisans they want to roast their lot, all done by hand on traditional ceramic pans over open flame.
Known for
- Hand-roasting on traditional Ethiopian ceramic pans, customer-by-customer
- Customers select the individual roaster who prepares their coffee
- First specialty Ethiopian coffee operation built deliberately to value-add at origin
- Founder Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu — Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women, soleRebels founder
- Awarded #1 Value Added Coffee Exporter by the Ethiopian Coffee & Tea Authority
Why it matters
Direct rebuke to the standard model in which 88% of Ethiopian coffee leaves the country green — Garden of Coffee proves Ethiopian producers can capture roasting margin domestically without importing equipment or ceding the brand.
Production
- head roaster
- 17+ in-house master artisan roasters
- roaster machine
- Traditional Ethiopian ceramic roasting pans over open flame
- roastery location
- JFK Building, Sar Bet neighborhood, Addis Ababa
Café
JFK Building ground floor, Sar Bet, Addis Ababa
Recognitions
- #1 Value Added Coffee Exporter, Ethiopian Coffee & Tea Authority
- Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women (founder)
- WEF Young Global Leader (founder)