Ethiopian Coffee Earns Premium Pricing

International Standards for Ethiopian Coffee

Jan 5, 2026 - It has been announced that it is possible to get a good/premium price as long as it meets international standards. The announcement was made at a workshop organized by the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority in collaboration with the EU YAYU DESIRA project, supported by the Hans Neumann Foundation.

The workshop aimed to have scholars from Bahir Dar University explain how Ethiopia can get its coffees GI certified according to international, particularly European, standards. Experts consulted on how to obtain good or premium prices for Ethiopian coffee by following an intellectual property / IP-based strategy.

Geographical Indication and IP Strategy

Presenters explained the unity and differences between a Trade Mark and a Geographical Indication (GI), and highlighted the benefits of an updated GI framework for both the country and the coffee-growing community. It was noted that the EU YAYU DESIRA project will publish a research document detailing the economic and legal implications of work conducted in implementing districts, which will help ensure consistent approaches nationwide and support tea and spice crop development.

The Director General, represented by Ato Sifisa Abababu, Head of the Office of the Director General of the Authority, indicated that the Authority is collaborating with research institutions and universities to strengthen the sector with knowledge, addressing challenges such as climate change and unstable market conditions. He urged timely professional input from leaders and experts at Mettu University, Hans Neumann, ECF, PHE, and the Authority regarding the bush coffee document from Yayu.

The discussion continued with participants emphasizing coordinated efforts to leverage research outputs and intellectual property strategies to secure better market prices for Ethiopian coffee.