Ethiopia boasts over two million smallholder coffee farmers, but there is only one Mustefa Abalulessa. An industry pioneer and community leader, Mustefa supports the local coffee industry by providing seeds and guidance. His classic Jimma coffee is renowned for its vibrant stone fruit flavours, brown sugar sweetness and refreshing acidity.
This year marks our fourth year of directly purchasing from Mustefa Abalulessa, and we are delighted to feature his exceptional coffee on our menu once again. His coffee has proven to be incredibly versatile across various brewing methods. That’s why we’ve chosen to highlight it both as a single-origin espresso and as a component of our House Blend, from now through the new year.
In 2017, a pivotal change in Ethiopian coffee legislation made it easier for producers to obtain export licenses, allowing them to sell directly to customers like Seven Seeds. This transformative update to the Ethiopia Coffee Exchange (ECX) enabled more vertical integration, breaking down market entry barriers for producers.
Mustefa Abalulessa was among the first to secure such a license. After an initial meeting at the origin in 2018, Seven Seeds began purchasing directly from Mustefa in 2021 and has continued to do so every year since. These changes have fostered direct relationships with smaller coffee exporters, reducing bureaucracy and enhancing pricing transparency.