Ethiopia Launches Specialty Coffee Association to Elevate Global Leadership
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — November 25, 2025 — Marking a new era for Ethiopia’s coffee industry Specialty Coffee Association of Ethiopia (SCAE) is officially launched today. As a unified body, SCAE will champion Ethiopia’s specialty coffee on the global stage, strengthen quality standards, and create new opportunities for producers, exporters, and the wider coffee community.
Ethiopia, recognized as the birthplace of Arabica coffee, is home to thousands of distinct varieties and unmatched genetic diversity. Yet much of this potential remains undervalued. SCAE was formed to protect Ethiopia’s heritage, elevate quality excellence, and ensure the country’s extraordinary contribution to specialty coffee is fully recognized worldwide.
"Our goal is simple but ambitious,” said Ashenafi Argaw, President of SCAE. “We want to showcase the best of Ethiopian specialty coffee, strengthen traceability and quality standards, and provide a platform for our producers to be recognized globally.”
The association’s mission is grounded in collaboration, innovation, and global engagement. It will serve as a hub for knowledge sharing, research, professional development, market expansion, and advocacy.
Flagship Program:
SCAE will lead Best of Ethiopia, a national initiative to identify, celebrate, and promote the most remarkable coffees from Ethiopia’s diverse regions. Through professional evaluation, global promotion, and direct market access, the program will raise Ethiopia’s profile while creating new opportunities for producers.
SCAE also plans to strengthen farmer support through training, sensory education, sustainability programs, research initiatives, and quality-focused development projects, empowering Ethiopia’s coffee community and protecting biodiversity for future generations.
Today’s launch brought together farmers, exporters, cooperatives, researchers, roasters, and government partners, signaling a shared commitment to guide Ethiopian coffee into a new era of excellence and global leadership.
Our mission is to redefine, protect, promote, and reward Ethiopia’s specialty coffee. SCAE is here to ensure that our coffees receive the recognition and value they truly deserve
Faysel Abdosh
Board Member
SCAE is committed to strengthening Ethiopia’s presence in the global specialty market through powerful storytelling and international visibility. Ethiopia has a story the world wants to hear. We simply need to tell it boldly and consistently
Kenean Assefa
Board Member
SCAE will organize coffee auctions which provide a premier global platform to present Ethiopia’s finest, rarest, and most exceptional coffees to international buyers—ensuring transparency, rewarding excellence, and elevating the value returned to producers
Tamru Tadess
Board Member and 1st Ethiopian Cup of Excellence Winner (2021)
BECOME A MEMBER
About SCAE
The Specialty Coffee Association of Ethiopia (SCAE) is the national body advancing Ethiopia’s position as a global leader in specialty coffee. Through its flagship Best of Ethiopia auctions, international promotion campaigns, and strategic partnerships, SCAE connects Ethiopia’s producers, exporters, and cooperatives with premium markets worldwide. Rooted in Ethiopia’s heritage as the birthplace of Arabica coffee, the Association champions quality, transparency, and sustainability, ensuring Ethiopia’s more than 10,000 unique coffee varieties continue to shape the future of the global industry.
Coffee Regions & Profiles
Yirgacheffe
Sidama
Guji
Harrar
Limu
Jimma
Bale, Bench Maji, Kaffa,
Arsi, Gamo & beyond
Founders & Board Members
Ashenafi Argaw
Founding Member and President, SCAE
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Founder & CEO, Ardent Coffee
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23 years of experience in the global coffee industry
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Former Operations Director, Ninety Plus Coffee (USA & Panama)
Faysel Abdosh
Founding Member and Vice President, SCAE
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Founder & CEO, Testi Specialty Coffee
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Multiple-time National Taste of Harvest winner
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Multiple-time Ethiopian Cup of Excellence winner
Kenean Assefa
Founding Member and Secretary, SCAE
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Deputy CEO, Daye Bensa Coffee Export PLC
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Founder and host of the MERI Podcast
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Multiple-time Ethiopian Cup of Excellence winner
Tamiru Tadesse
Founding Member and Treasurer, SCAE
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Founder & CEO, Alo Coffee
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1st Place Winner, Ethiopia Cup of Excellence (2021)
Our Story
The Specialty Coffee Association of Ethiopia was formed by a collective of passionate industry leaders who recognized the need for a unified national platform dedicated specifically to specialty coffee.
SCAE was created to:
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Strengthen Ethiopia’s global specialty reputation
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Improve quality and market systems
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Promote innovation and research
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Bring international best practices into the Ethiopian context
SCAE represents producers, exporters, cooperatives, researchers, processors, roasters, and partners across the entire coffee value chain.