It has been three years since the supply chain in Ethiopia was opened and traceability restored. The ECX system of categorising coffees by regional cup profiles still dominates, but we have long felt this system was not up to the task of capturing the broad and complex flavour potential of Read more…
Like all relationships, our partnerships at origin require time and energy. Each party has to contribute to the relationship for it to work, our partners expect as much from us as we do from them. And like all relationships, they are tested from time to time. So why do we Read more…
I was packing in Dublin, trying to squash my life into two suitcases to move to Addis Ababa, when a friend asked why I would spend a small fortune on a Comandante coffee grinder. I explained that I would be spending hours and hours traveling to different washing stations and Read more…
Residents of Sidama go to the polls today to vote whether the sub-region should become an autonomous region. Local authorities have stepped up security around Hawassa for the referendum, and tensions are high. If the outcome is affirmative, Hawassa could become the capital of the tenth Ethiopian region. What will Read more…
A couple of weeks ago the team and I headed to the south to spend a week visiting different suppliers we work with as well as new potentials. The first stop of the season was with Kanketi, a family run business that we partnered with in 2018. They are based Read more…
We are proud to announce that Alexander Lenouvel Hansen has been appointed as General Manager for Tropiq Ethiopia. He will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Tropiq team in Addis Ababa, overseeing quality coffee selection, milling, logistics and QC services. We are very confident in Alex’s capacity to Read more…
Internet is back up in Ethiopia Last week I was using a Telegram application to communicate with our team in Addis Ababa. The week prior to that, we were limited to the trusty old landline. Internet was down for two weeks. First it was shut off by the government during Read more…
What is it about Guji? It is a zone and an administrative area. Yes. Do they produce amazing coffees? Yes! Is there a lot of future potential? Yes! Does it represent a specific flavour profile? No! At least not in our opinion. If you’re looking for a specific cup character Read more…
This is the final in a series of posts called “What Does A Green Coffee Buyer Do.” If you haven’t read the previous posts, we recommend you start here: Part 1: Planning. Previously on “What does a green coffee buyer do” I have spent several frantic weeks babysitting the coffees Read more…
This is Part 5 in a series of posts called “What Does A Green Coffee Buyer Do.” If you haven’t read the previous posts, we recommend you start here: Part 1: Planning. I have cupped through thousands of coffees, and selected the best possible lots to meet our customers’ needs. Read more…