Where is the Ethiopian Coffee?
It’s late summer, the sun is shining, and delicious micro lots are on our shelves. But still, something seems amiss. And then it hits you: why’s all our Ethiopian coffee gone?
Ethiopia and Colombia are the only two origins that we try to stock year-round. Ethiopian coffee is often said to be irreplaceable—no other coffee tastes quite like Ethiopian coffee. This origin also factors heavily into our much-beloved Big Truck and Little Buddy, boosting the berry notes in these blends.
So when we say we’re currently all out of Ethiopian coffee, that’s a pretty big deal.
If you’ve been with us for long, you all know about our commitment to sourcing coffees that meet our Fair For All standards. We take a great deal of pride in the relationships we’ve built with our producers in every sourcing location, all around the world. Given that commitment, finding a quick replacement from an importer simply isn’t an option.
So what is up with Ethiopia?
Long story short: our shipments are delayed.
Long story long? Prepare for a lesson in green coffee sourcing and the geopolitical movements that surround it.
To get our Ethiopian coffee, we work with an importer: Royal Coffee, to be precise. Royal Coffee organizes and ensures shipments coming from Ethiopia. This year, we worked with them to transport two containers from our producer partners at Daye Bensa. But in a shocking turn of events, the vessel transporting these containers was attacked by Houthi rebels in June, just two days after it left the port of Djibouti.
Thankfully, nobody was hurt, and the ship continued to India safely to get repairs. But the entire cargo of over 200 containers had to be unloaded and moved to a new ship that could freight onwards. As a result, our Ethiopian coffee delivery was pushed back a month.
The Red Sea: a bird’s eye view
As one of the world’s busiest shipping channels, the Red Sea plays a significant role in the global economy. At its northern point, the Suez Canal enables cargo ships to take a shortened path between Asia and Europe. Compared to the other option—circumnavigating the whole continent of Africa—this cuts travel time almost in half. An estimated 12% of global trade passes through the Red Sea, and that includes 30% of global container traffic.
The Red Sea also has deep significance in the world of coffee. Yemen, positioned on its southeast corner, was the first region to export coffee to the world. To the southwest, Djibouti serves as the gateway port to Ethiopia, the legendary birthplace of coffee. More than 94% of exports loaded from Djibouti originate in Ethiopia.
At its southern end, the Red Sea narrows to 26 km (about 16 mi) wide between Yemen and Djibouti before reopening to the Gulf of Aden. According to legend, this strait formed during a colossal earthquake that tore apart the continents of Africa and Asia. As the story goes, the casualties of this quake were so massive that the strait was thereafter called Bab-el-Mandeb, or the “Gate of Tears.”
Disruptions in the Red Sea
Starting in October 2023, Houthi fighters located in Yemen have targeted commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Attacking with drones and missiles, their strikes have caused vessels to catch fire. In one action, a helicopter was used to capture a ship and its 25 crew members.
In early January, the US and 12 allies announced military action against the Houthi’s continuing attacks. Additionally, to keep their vessels safe from attack, shipping lines have adjusted schedules and routes to bypass the Red Sea. This means routing any vessels traveling between Asia and Europe around the southern tip of Africa instead. A much longer way around, but with far less risk.
What this means for your coffee
Coffee is a highly cherished commodity. Globally, we drink 175.6 million bags per year. It’s steeped into our lifestyles, from morning routines to leisurely cups with friends. At the same time, coffee is part of a much more complex—and sometimes difficult—story. There’s not much we can do to affect the conflicts happening abroad. Still, we’re doing all we can to keep supporting our producers at origin and our communities here at home.
Currently, our scheduled ETA on our Ethiopian coffees is slated for September. Our two containers of Daye Bensa are coming directly to Seattle to be warehoused in Tacoma. And our Konga Trading Yirgacheffe coffees are also estimated to arrive in Oakland in early September. However, since they’ll be landing in California, these likely won’t be released until later in the year.
We truly appreciate your patience as we work to get our Ethiopian coffees stateside. In the meantime, maybe take this as an opportunity to explore something new from our lineup! A new favorite origin might be just a sip away.
