eah

Coffee

East African Holding has ventured into the coffee business through the export of raw coffee beans and has now moved towards adding value by establishing a roasting and grinding factory. The company has also taken the initiative to set up a coffee plantation to backward integrate the process flow of the business.

At our roastery, we drum roast our coffee beans daily in small batches and deliver promptly to our customers to

ensure they enjoy maximum quality from our brand, Black Lion Coffee. We use one-way valves when packaging, which allows coffee to be packed immediately after roasting to maximize protection from moisture and air, conserving freshness, flavor, and aroma.

We have on-ground expert baristas to grind and roast our coffee and ensure beans are handpicked, roasted, and ground with utmost care. Flavor is fresh and mellow with a bold body, giving a distinctive Ethiopian aftertaste. Our goal is to select, roast, and market the finest, freshest 100 % Ethiopian Arabica coffee beans.

Oil Seeds

Ethiopia is the centre of origin of some unique oilseeds and has a rich diversity of legumes and cereals. Some of which have remained largely unknown to the rest of the world. Two oilseeds, Noog (Guizotia abyssinica) and Crambe (Crambe abyssinica) are widely cultivated in Ethiopia.

The staple diet of Ethiopians is a fermented dough (or Injera) which accompanies all meals. It is made from the flour of a grass species called Tef (Eragrostis tef) which is grown often in rotation with Noog. These alternative oilseed species have a range of qualities and characteristics. Noog oil sells for a premium over other food oils in Ethiopia due to its preferred taste. Its fatty acid profile is comparable to sunflower.

Pulses

Pulses contribute to smallholder income, as a higher-value crop than cereals, and to diet, as a cost-effective source of protein that accounts for approximately 15 percent of protein intake. Moreover, pulses offer natural soil maintenance benefits through nitrogen-fixing, which improves yields of cereals through crop rotation, and can also result in savings for smallholder farmers from less fertilizer use.

Pulses also contribute significantly to Ethiopia’s balance of payments. They are the third-largest export crop after coffee and sesame, contributing USD 90 million to export earnings in 2007/08.