74 beanscenemag.com.auORIGIN
Bruck Fikru of Volcafe describes the legacy of Ethiopian coffee
and how new ideas are transforming traditional processes.
I
t took a while to connect with Bruck
Fikru, General Manager of our
sister company, Volcafe, in Ethiopia.
Political turmoil in the country led to
restrictions being placed on people’s
internet and social media access. Bruck says
this difficulty with communication is one
of several challenges being overcome by
Ethiopia’s enduring coffee industry.
“Ethiopia is the largest producer of
coffee in Africa, and one of the most
important producers of Arabica in the
world,” Bruck says. “Coffee is a valuable
cash crop for farmers, but beyond that,
it’s also very culturally significant. Arabica
coffee comes from Ethiopia – it’s our gift
to the world.
“Unlike most producing countries, we
drink most of the coffee we produce. Our
consumption goes back centuries, almost as
long as – if not longer than – cultivation. It’s
one of the ways communities come together
to share stories, and the coffee is generally
very good, so people enjoy drinking it.”
Due to Ethiopian laws preventing
non-national companies from exportingcoffee, Volcafe cannot buy coffee direct
from farmers and processors like in other
countries. As such, Volcafe buys Ethiopian
coffee from exporters while Bruck’s work
centres on helping producers improve
practices and market access.
“An ordinary day sees me spending most
of my time speaking to Ethiopian exporters,
farm owners, and managers of unions
and cooperatives, looking to see what we
can do for them or what we can buy, and
following up on logistics and quality issues
for every contract and container,” Bruck
says. “A good part is also spent talking
to my colleagues around the world – in
Australia, Europe, Asia, and the United
States – enabling all of our importing offices
to get good quality coffee from Ethiopia at a
fair price and on time.”
Despite the story of Ethiopia being the
birthplace of coffee, Bruck believes it’s the
country’s huge diversity of varietals that
bolsters its reputation for quality.
“Ethiopia probably has the richest
variety of coffees in the world,” he says.
“The majority of farms in Ethiopia areowned by smallholders who produce
small amounts of coffee. Even at this level,
you find people are planting different
varieties. A combination of the natural
factors, growing conditions, and diversity
of bean results in a very interesting cup
that’s hard to replicate in any other coffee
producing country.”
However, having smallholders make up
so much of the industry causes problems of
its own. The number one challenge Bruck
sees Ethiopian farmers face is productivity.
Simply put, farmers could earn more
money if they produced more coffee.
“Most farming land is subdivided as it’s
passed on to children. With a fast-growing
population, landholdings per capita is
significantly going down for producers. That
results in a circle of lower output per farmer
meaning less income and so on,” Bruck
says. “Volcafe is working to help farmers
diversify their crops to increase their
income and productivity so some of these
challenges can be addressed.”
Despite individual farms’ production
levels, the US Department of AgricultureThe original origin
John Russell Storey is the Marketing Manager of Trade at Cofi-Com.74 beanscenemag.com.au
ORIGIN
Bruck Fikru of Volcafe describes the legacy of Ethiopian coffee
and how new ideas are transforming traditional processes.
I
t tooka whileto connectwithBruck
Fikru,GeneralManagerof our
sistercompany,Volcafe,in Ethiopia.
Politicalturmoilin thecountryledto
restrictionsbeingplacedonpeople’s
internetandsocialmediaaccess.Brucksays
thisdifficultywithcommunicationis one
of severalchallengesbeingovercomeby
Ethiopia’senduringcoffeeindustry.
“Ethiopiais thelargestproducerof
coffeein Africa,andoneof themost
importantproducersof Arabicain the
world,”Brucksays.“Coffeeis a valuable
cashcropforfarmers,butbeyondthat,
it’salsoveryculturallysignificant.Arabica
coffeecomesfromEthiopia– it’sourgift
totheworld.
“Unlikemostproducingcountries,we
drinkmostof thecoffeeweproduce.Our
consumptiongoesbackcenturies,almostas
longas– if notlongerthan– cultivation.It’s
oneof thewayscommunitiescometogether
to sharestories,andthecoffeeis generally
verygood,sopeopleenjoydrinkingit.”
Dueto Ethiopianlawspreventing
non-national companies from exporting
coffee,Volcafecannotbuycoffeedirect
fromfarmersandprocessorslikein other
countries.Assuch,VolcafebuysEthiopian
coffeefromexporterswhileBruck’swork
centresonhelpingproducersimprove
practicesandmarketaccess.
“Anordinarydayseesmespendingmost
of mytimespeakingto Ethiopianexporters,
farmowners,andmanagersof unions
andcooperatives,lookingto seewhatwe
candoforthemorwhatwecanbuy,and
followinguponlogisticsandqualityissues
foreverycontractandcontainer,”Bruck
says.“Agoodpartis alsospenttalking
to mycolleaguesaroundtheworld– in
Australia,Europe,Asia,andtheUnited
States– enablingallof ourimportingoffices
to getgoodqualitycoffeefromEthiopiaat a
fairpriceandontime.”
Despitethestoryof Ethiopiabeingthe
birthplaceof coffee,Bruckbelievesit’sthe
country’shugediversityof varietalsthat
bolstersitsreputationforquality.
“Ethiopiaprobablyhastherichest
varietyof coffeesin theworld,”hesays.
“The majority of farms in Ethiopia areownedbysmallholderswhoproduce
smallamountsof coffee.Evenat thislevel,
youfindpeopleareplantingdifferent
varieties.A combinationof thenatural
factors,growingconditions,anddiversity
of beanresultsin a veryinterestingcup
that’shardto replicatein anyothercoffee
producingcountry.”
However,havingsmallholdersmakeup
somuchof theindustrycausesproblemsof
itsown.ThenumberonechallengeBruck
seesEthiopianfarmersfaceis productivity.
Simplyput,farmerscouldearnmore
moneyif theyproducedmorecoffee.
“Mostfarminglandis subdividedasit’s
passedonto children.Witha fast-growing
population,landholdingspercapitais
significantlygoingdownforproducers.That
resultsin a circleof loweroutputperfarmer
meaninglessincomeandsoon,”Bruck
says.“Volcafeis workingto helpfarmers
diversifytheircropsto increasetheir
incomeandproductivitysosomeof these
challengescanbeaddressed.”
Despiteindividualfarms’production
levels, the US Department of AgricultureThe original origin
John Russell Storey is the Marketing Manager of Trade at Cofi-Com.