Ethiopian coffee exporters enjoy growing demand in China – report

Addis Ababa, July 12, 2023 (FBC) – Coffee exporters in Ethiopia, known as the birthplace of coffee, are enjoying the rising coffee market in China as an increasing number of Chinese consumers tend to value Ethiopian coffee.

The growing demand for Ethiopian coffee in China with its fastest-growing economy has presented a potential market for coffee exporting countries such as Ethiopia, said Abdullah Bagersh, general manager of S.A. Bagersh Private Limited Company (PLC), as reported by Xinhua.

Bagersh said the Chinese people, especially the youth, are shifting to drinking coffee, a situation propelling Chinese coffee importers to establish business relations with their Ethiopian counterparts.

Jemal Abrar, coffee quality control deputy manager at Mullege Coffee Export PLC, one of the leading coffee exporting firms in Ethiopia, said Ethiopian coffee is winning growing demand in China and surrounding markets.

The coffee market has been evolving over the years in China where tea has been a traditional drink, said Gizat Worku, chief executive officer of the Ethiopian Coffee Association, which is engaged in promoting Ethiopian coffee in the international market.

According to Gizat, Ethiopia’s coffee export volume to China has seen impressive growth with an export volume of 4,200 tonnes in the 2019/2020 Ethiopian fiscal year, 8,400 tonnes in the 2020/2021 fiscal year and 11,200 tonnes of coffee last fiscal year which ended on July 7, 2022.

Ahadu Woubshet, managing director of Moyee Coffee Roasting PLC, another coffee exporter in Ethiopia, said his company has enjoyed growing sales from the expanding coffee market in China.

The Ethiopia Coffee and Tea Authority yesterday (July 11, 2023) announced that the East African nation earned 1.3 billion U.S. dollars in the 2022/23 Ethiopian fiscal year and China became the seventh largest importer of Ethiopian coffee during the period.