By Firaol Aliyi
Ceo Message
Dear Readers,
It is with great pride and excitement that I welcome you to the inaugural edition o f "Buna Pulse," a platform where the heart o f Kerchanshe Group meets the spirit o f Ethiopian business and culture.
This magazine is more than a publication—it is a journey through the stories, achievements, and innovations that de fine who we are. From the fertile co ffee farms o f Guji to the bustling cityscapes where our pens and plates reach customers, Kerchanshe Group embodies the ethos o f Ethiopia: resilience, creativity, and connection.
As we re flect on the past year, we also look forward to what lies ahead. Our commitment to sustainability, community development, and excellence continues to guide us as we explore new horizons
Join us as we dive into inspiring stories, fresh perspectives, and a shared vision for a thriving future.
Warm regards,
Ceo Of Kerchanshe Group
Ke rc ha nsh e ’ s I mpa c t
A Y ea r in Re vi e w
3 m illion ET B
3 m illion ET B
Ke rcha n she G ro up is inc redib ly p ro ud to do n a te in s u pport o f t he Clea n E th i o p i a Public Toile ts P roject !
E SL a w a r d .
Ke rcha n sh e G ro up has been h on o red wit h
a n awa rd a nd re cognition cer ti f i ca te at t h e
Et hi o p i an S h i pi n g a nd Log esti cs c us to mer a nd s ta keh o ld er event !
W orld o f Co ffee
Ke rcha n she Cof fee i s h ad a fan ta s ti c ti me a t t he Wor ld of Cof fee event! Fro m s h owca s i n g o ur except i onal fa rm cof fe es to co nnec t ing wi th cof fee e n th usias ts a nd i nd us t ry le ade rs .
Et h io -S aud i
P rod uc t ive di sc ussions w i th S a udi i nves to rs a b o ut fu t u re p art n e rs hi ps a nd collab o rat i o n o pp ortun it i es with Ke rchanshe G ro u p.
1 m illion to Go f a
B es t E xp o r t e r o
A Y ea r in Re vi e w O r o m ia Tou r i s m
We a re p ro ud to be a p re m ium s po n sor o f the O rom i a Touris m Week at S kyl i ghtH o te l C a t ® at K ont a
As
ffee O r i g in T r i p
Co ffee A nd Cultu r e
The Tra d i t i o n a l Cof fee Ce re m o ny: A T im el e ss B o n d
At t h e heart of Ethiopi a ’ s cultu re li es the cof fee ce remo ny, a cheri s h ed t rad i tio n symbolizing connectio n a nd co mm uni ty. T h e h os t, of ten in v i b ra n t Hab esha a t ti re, roas ts g reen be a n s over a n o p en flam e, filling the a ir wi t h t h e i r ri c h a roma. Gu es ts savo r the scen t, ackn owl edging the sha red momen t 's signifi can ce.
The ro a s ted beans a re g rou nd a nd b rewed i n a jeben a, a t raditi o nal cl ay po t . Cof fee is se rved in th ree ro u nds Abo l, Ton a, a nd Be re ka each deepening the co nn ect i on among participan ts .
In ce n se bu rn s, laugh ter fl ows, a nd bo nds s t re n gt h en over eve r y cu p, ma k i n g t h e ce remo ny a p ro fou nd cultu ra l exper i en ce.
Cof fee is se rved in t h ree rou nds Ab o l (fi rs t), Tona (se co nd), a nd Be re ka (thi rd ) each rep resenting a dee p er con n e c tion a nd s ha red bl ess i ng s .
The atm os p h e re is fur t her enric h ed by the bu rning of i n cen se, c reating a se rene a nd reflect ive s pa ce. Th ro ug h co nve rsa t io n, laugh te r, a nd cu ps of cof fe e, the ce remo ny t ran sce nds t h e drink i tsel f, sym bolizing Ethiop i a ’ s va lu es of h ospi tali ty a nd u n i ty.
Jou r
n
ey to t he
Birt hp la ce o f Co ffe e Second Round
Second Round
Ke rc h anshe Cof fe e ’ s se co nd jou rn ey to t h e
birt h pla ce of cof fee of fe red an in s pi r i ng
im m e rsi o n i n to Ethiopi a ’ s cof fee h er i tag e, br i ngi n g part i cipan ts to the b rea th tak i ng
Bale Mou n ta in to Debe ka Fa rm. Over seve ral d ays, gu es ts explo red the ri ch la ndscap es, lea rn ed about cof fe e ’ s intri ca te cult iva tion p ro ces s, a nd experie n ced the p ro fou nd cultu ral connections t ha t d efine
Et h i o p i a ’ s cof fee s to r y.
Bale Moun ta i n: W he re Cof fee Thr i ves i n Ha rm o ny w i th N atu re
Our tour beg a n at Bale Moun tai n, a region syn o nymo us with p remium co f fee p roduct i on. The moun tai n ’ s soaring al t i t ud es, fert i le soil s, a nd cool clima te c rea te t h e per fec t e nv i ro nment for cult iva ti ng wor ld - clas s cof fe e.
Par ti cip a n ts wa nde red th rough ex pan s ive cof fee fa rm s, lea rning about t h e t raditi o nal p racti ces tha t p rese rve the e nvi ron m ent wh i le p roducing beans with except i onal fl avo r p rofil es . The beau ty of Bale Mou n ta in p rov id ed n o t j ust a visual t rea t but al so a n in s p i r i ng re m i nder of cof fe e ’ s dee p - ro o ted co nn ect i on to Ethiopi a ’ s la ndscap e.
Celeb rat i ng E th iopi a ’ s Co f fee Leg a cy
Ke rchan s h e ’ s se co nd to ur to the cof fee or i g i n s was not j ust a jou rn ey t h rough Et h i o p i a ’ s scenic la ndscap es but a celeb rati o n o f the count ry ’ s e nd uring co nn ect i on to cof fe e. From the vib ran t f i e lds of B a le Moun tain to the co m muni ty - fo c used p racti ces at Debe ka Fa rm, the to ur b rought to li fe t he s tor i es, pe o pl e, a nd t raditions that ma ke Eth i opi a n cof fee ext ra o rdina ry.
Lo o k ing Ahe a d
Sp otli gh t O n Innovatio n Our Farming Techniques
Ke rc h anshe Cof fee has a lways been a t t h e fo ref ro n t of agricultu ral inn ova tio n, t ra n s fo rming t he cof fee fa rming l a ndsca pe i n E t hiop i a. Among i ts m ost g rou ndb reaking achi evemen ts is t h e i n t roduct i on of a pi o neering cof fee se edl i ng meth od that h ad n ever been tes ted in the cou n t r y. This inn ovatio n, co u p l ed with meticulo us fa rm ing p rac t i ces, ha s all owed Ke rchanshe Cof fee to es ta blish a t h r iving cof fee exp o rt b us in es s a nd cemen t i ts repu tation as E t hiop i a ’ s le ading cof fee expor te r.
P roduc i ng 4 5 quin tals in j ust a few ye a rs i s a tes ta m en t to the ef fe c t iven ess of Ke rchan s he Cof fe e ’ s a pp roach. Th i s su ccess wa s a ch i eved d es p i te n u m e ro us ch a lle n g es, in c l uding n avigating bu reau c rat i c p ro ces ses a nd en s uri n g s us ta in a bili ty ac ross all ope ra t io ns . U nd er t h e le ade rs h i p of C EO I s rael Deg fa, the co mp a ny h a s n ot on ly set a ben c h ma r k fo r a gri c ul t u ra l s u cces s but h a s al so demo n st ra ted the po tential of m od e rn fa rm in g tec h n iq u es in d r iving e con o mic g rowth . Ke rchan s he Cof fe e ’ s fa rm s a re a m odel of effic i e n cy a nd q u a l i ty. Over t he p a st two yea rs, t he compa ny has exp or ted 6 7,000 m e t ri c to ns of cof fe e, h alf of wh i c h wa s so u rced di rect ly f rom i ts fa rm s. T h i s a ch i evement u nde rsco res t he im p or tan ce of i ts inn ovat ive p rac t i ces i n e n suri n g a co n si s ten t su pp ly of hig h - qu a li ty cof fee to mar ke ts wor ldw id e, i n cl udi n g Eu ro p e, the M iddle Eas t, a nd the A mer i cas .
At t he h eart of th ese ef for ts is Ke rch a n s h e Co f fe e ’ s foc us on s us ta inabil i ty. The co mp a ny ’ s fa rm ing techniqu es a re d esig n ed to wo rk i n h a rm o ny wi t h t h e e nv i ronment while emp oweri n g l o cal com m unit i es. Th ese meth ods h ave c rea ted pe rm a nent empl oyment o pp o rtu n iti es for 3,000 i nd iv iduals a nd sea sonal jo bs for a n add it i onal 1 0,000 wor ke rs, m a ny of wh o m a re youth a nd women . By redefi n ing fa rming p racti ces a nd in teg ra t ing te c hnol o gy, Ke rchanshe Co f fee no t o n ly d el ive rs p remium cof fee to t h e wo r ld but al so se ts a n ew s ta nd a rd for excellen ce in agricultu re.
A ra b i ca Cof fee P r i ce
Inc re m e nt : A G row i ng
Tre n d a n d I ts I m p li ca ti o n s
A ra bi ca cof fee pri ces h ave been s te adi ly risi n g i n re cen t m o nth s, dr iven by seve ral key fac to rs, in c l ud ing c lima te chang e, su pp ly ch a in d i srup t ion s, a nd g row i ng de m a nd. Wea t her even ts, such as d ro ugh ts a nd ir regular rain fall i n m ajor cof fe e - p roduc i ng coun t ri es li ke B razi l, h ave l ed to l ower ha rves ts, red ucing t he gl o b a l s u pp ly of hig h - qu a li ty A rab i ca be a ns.
Addit i onal ly, logisti cal challeng es su c h as shi pp ing del ays, inc rea sed t ra nsp o r tati o n cos ts, a nd labor sh o r ta g es h ave add ed further p ressu re o n pr i ces
As a resul t, consume rs a re see i ng higher pri ces at cof fee s ho ps a nd for re tail be a ns. Wh i le t he pri ce in c rea se benef i ts so me la rge r - scale fa rme rs, small p rodu ce rs a re struggling with higher p roduc t i o n cos ts a nd difficulti es adapt i ng to ch a nging weather p at te rns. Th i s pr i ce su rge reflec ts deeper i ssu es wi t hin t he cof fee i nd ust ry, highlighting the compl ex rela tio ns h ip be tween c lima te, s u pp ly c h a i n s, a nd mar ket dema nd.
P r i me Mini s t e r
Ab i y Ahmed’ s
V i s it to Gu j i
r i me M i n is ter Ab iy Ahm ed ’ s re cent visit to G uj i, O romi a, hig h ligh ted the
sign i f i can ce o f cof fee as a key e co no m ic d r iver a nd c ul t u ral symbol o f E t hio p ia. Hi s vi s it u nd e rsco red the g ove rnme n t 's com m i t m en t to s u pp ort i ng t he cof fee sec to r, par t icular ly in G uj i, ren own ed for i ts h i g h - quali ty cof fee bean s
Key ou tco m es of the visit incl ud e s t rengthe n ed par t ne rshi ps be tween the g ove rn me n t, lo cal fa rme rs, a nd i nd us t r y le ade rs l i ke Ke rc h anshe G rou p, p romo t ing s us tainable p racti ces a nd fa i r t rad e. D i sc uss i ons with Ke rchansh e's C EO, Is rael Dege fa, foc used on imp roving cof fee qual i ty, b o osting the lo cal e con o my, a nd su pporti n g fa rme rs' l iveliho ods .
The vi s i t al so emphasi zed the p o te n ti a l fo r co f fee touri s m in G uj i, sh owcas i ng the regio n's co f fee cultu re to gl o bal mar ke ts. W it h g ove rnment backin g, the re i s a re n ewed fo c us on inn ovatio n a nd resea rc h to ensu re Ethiopi a ’ s cof fee ma i n tain s i ts global repu tatio n .
Ke rchan s he is exci ted to conti n ue contribut i ng to Ethio p i a's cof fee lega cy,
A Jou rn ey o f E xc ellen c e
At Ke rchanshe G rou p, eve r y
i nd iv idual pl ays a p ivo tal ro le i n dr iv i ng t he o rgani zation towa rd excelle n ce. This mon t h, we sh in e the spotl i g h t on Gi rm a Debi sa, o ur es teem ed Depu ty C EO, wh ose ins p iri n g le ade rship a nd u nwavering d ed i ca t ion co ntinue to el eva te our co mpa ny to n ew heigh ts .
S hap i ng th e Visi o n
As Depu ty C EO, Gi rma pl ays a crucial ro le in sha p ing
Ke rchansh e ’ s st ra tegic di rec t i o n. Whethe r i t ’ s spearhe ading inn ovat ive p rojec ts or ensuri n g smooth ope ra t i o ns ac ross mul t iple d iv is i on s, h e
is kn own for his ha nds - on a pp ro a ch a nd abili ty to bring ou t the b est in his team . One of G i rm a ’ s s ta ndout in i t i a t ives is his com m i t ment to commun i ty d evel o pment. U nder h i s le ade rshi p, Ke rc hanshe G roup h as expa nd ed i ts co rpo ra te so cial responsibili ty (CS R) p rog ram s, foc using o n bu i lding school s, p rov id i ng clean wa te r, a nd su pporting co f fee fa rme rs wit h m ode rn agricultu ra l techniqu es .
C o ll a b o ra t i ng fo r Su c c e ss in C of fee To ur i s m
At Ke rch a nshe G rou p, collabo ra ti on l i es a t t h e he a rt o f eve r ything we d o. T h i s m o nt h, we a re t h rill ed to highlight one of our m os t s i gn i f i ca n t p a rt n e rshi ps to da te a
Me m o ra ndum o f
U nd e rs ta nd ing (MO U ) sign ed wit h the O ro m i a Tour i sm Commission to lau n ch E th i o p i a ’ s
f i rs t - ever cof fee to urism initiat ive. Thi s g rou nd b reaki n g collabo ration m a r ks a m i l es ton e i n ou r s ha red jou rn ey to celeb ra te Et hi op i a ’ s rich cof fee heri tage while dr iving s us ta in able to uris m d evel op me n t
T h e Visi o n Beh i n d Cof fee Tour is m
Co f fee touri s m is mo re than a b us in ess o ppo rtu n i ty; i t ’ s a celeb ration of Ethiopi a ’ s ide n t i ty. As t h e birt h pla ce of cof fe e, Ethi op ia boas ts a un i que lega cy that combi n es c ultu ral t rad i ti on s, s t un n i n g la ndscap es, a nd the s to ri es o f ge n e rat i on s of fa rme rs who h ave nurtu red t h e i nd ust r y
Ke rch a n s h e ’ s Ro le i n t he
Pa r t ne rs h i p
Ke rchanshe G ro u p, as E t hiopi a ’ s la rg es t cof fee p rodu cer a nd expor te r, bri n g s unpa rallel ed experti se to t h i s coll a bo ratio n . W it h deep roo ts i n t h e cof fee va lue c h a i n, Ke rchansh e ’ s fa rms a nd p ro cess i ng si tes a re being t ra ns fo rm ed in to d estinat i o n s whe re visi to rs can experien ce eve ry aspect of cof fee p roduct i o n f ro m se ed to cu p.
“ This part n e rship is an o pp ortun i ty to sha re Ethiopi a ’ s cof fee s to r y wi t h t h e wo r ld, ” says Is rae l
Deg fa, C EO o f Ke rchans h e G rou p “ I t ’ s about c reating an a uthentic a nd meaningful experien ce that benef i ts eve r yo n e fa rme rs, com m u n iti es, a nd touris ts a li ke. ”
A Jou r n ey T hr ou gh
H
a be r a
and R ir a A Blend of Nature, Culture, and Adventure
Our flight on E T177 took us from Addis Ababa to Goba Airport, where the chilly weather hinted at the adventures ahead. As we exited, Toyota Mark 2 cars awaited to take us to our destinations. Our driver, Abu, whose name means “gi ft from God,” drove us through Robe, a town rich in history and development. The statue o f General Waqo Gutu at Hewala Square le ft a deep impression, symbolizing a community that honors its past.
At Nu Robe Hotel, we received an orientation for our co ffee tour, organized by Kerchanshe Co ffee. Girma, one o f the organizers, spoke passionately about the company’s role in Ethiopia’s co ffee industry, set ting the tone for our visit to Tulu Dimtu
The journey to Tulu Dimtu was filled with lively conversation and breathtaking landscapes. As we climbed to Ethiopia’s second-highest peak, the chill intensi fied, but the natural beauty was unparalleled. Streams from natural springs wove through the red soil, adding to the area’s untouched charm
Descending from Tulu Dimtu, we headed to the lush Habera forest, a verdant expanse that seemed almost unreal. Its dense greenery felt like stepping into a dream From there, we traveled to Rira village, where we were welcomed with warm hospitality
Lunch in Rira was a delightful surprise—spinach with honey on flatbread was a unique and un forget table combination With hearts and bellies full, we resumed our journey, toasting to the extraordinary experiences ahead
This journey was a beauti ful blend o f nature, culture, and camaraderie—a reminder o f Ethiopia’s richness and the stories waiting to be discovered
By Firaol Aliyi
