Tagel Alamayehu doesn’t just grow coffee; he also leads Olkai Coffee, an Ethiopian exporting company deeply rooted in the coffee-growing community. He grew up in Guji, surrounded by coffee, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a pioneer in the region and built one of the area’s first washing stations. Over the years, Tagel chose to revive this family legacy, and when export laws changed in 2018, he founded Olkai together with his wife. The project now works hand in hand with hundreds of small producers from Hambela Goro and other areas in southern Ethiopia.

In Hambela Goro, coffee is hand-picked at optimal ripeness and carefully processed to preserve its full potential in the cup. After pulping, the beans ferment in water for around 48 hours, then are spread out on African raised beds to dry in the sun for 10 to 12 days, with the pace adjusted to the climate conditions. All of this care is meant to allow a clean, transparent expression of the terroir, with well-defined flavors and a vibrant cup.

Beyond coffee itself, Tagel and Olkai prioritize fair relationships and meaningful support for the producers they work with. They offer better conditions than the traditional market, distribute seedlings to encourage sustainable practices, and support community projects such as schools and local infrastructure.