About YKM Coffee Trading

With three generations of coffee growers in the family, YKM Coffee comes from a rich tradition of coffee grower and exporter family in Ethiopia. Our passion for exquisite beans goes back some 54 years when our grandfather Alemayehu Yirdawe, began to farm, harvest and sell coffee way before any coffee processing machines were used in Ethiopia’s coffee growing regions. In those days, he used hand operated washing station in Yirgachefe town located in the Southern part of Ethiopia. Subsequently, he became one of the first coffee producers to install modern washing station in the same town.

Today, our coffee export business has grown to become one of the biggest coffee growers and exporters in Ethiopia with 3 washing and 6 sundried stations in Yirgacheffe, Guji Hambela, Gedeb (Taretu), and Sidam. In addition to these, the family owns a 450 hectors of coffee plantation in the town of Bonga, the birth place of Arabica Coffee in Keffa the ancient name for the part of the present-day Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ State region in which Bonga lies. It has suitable Agro-ecological conditions for specialty coffee production and have been recognized as UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since the beginning of June 2010. Its altitude is between 1600 and 1900 meters asl, the soil is red in color, and temperatures are conducive for coffee production. The area is known for distinct higher levels of precipitation and for that reason it is considered as one of the rainiest regions in Ethiopia.

Continuing with the family tradition and passion for exquisite coffee beans, YKM Coffee was established by the third generation with a pure focus of exporting quality, organic and affordable coffees to the international market. We aim to take advantages of our coffee expertise, modern technology such as the internet and pro coffee exporters government regulations to grow, source and supply 100% organic and traceable green coffee beans to buyers across the globe.

Vision

To export quality, organic, traceable and affordable coffee beans to the international market from the birthplace of Arabica Coffee, Ethiopia.

Mission

Become a leading and preferred green coffee exporter in Ethiopia while delivering quality coffee at affordable price through direct selling. We also aim to exceed importers expectation in terms of delivery and quality while allowing unlimited access to traceability at a fair price.

We chose a woman carrying out a traditional processing of coffee by sorting and removing sticks, rocks, and miscellaneous debris that may have become mixed with the coffee during drying. This processing is a characteristic of YKM Coffee to ensure quality of coffee and the two-coffee branch with cherries on the left and right side of the woman represent the symbol of coffee as a livelihood source. The green color behind her symbolizes green coffee as a backbone of life in our coffee growing regions. She grasps coffee with both hands illustrating YKM’s hard-working ethos. Last but not least, we chose a woman to represent our farmer community because coffee is traditionally grown and cared for by women; yet in terms of income, it used to benefits mostly men. YKM has a mission to change this narrative and empower women from the coffee farming community in terms of skills, prospects, and income.