Tariku and Aman Adinew are tied to Ethiopian coffee through family history and personal ambition. After spending time in the United States finishing high school, college, and gaining some work experience, they returned home to Ethiopia to pursue coffee. Aman was first to return to Ethiopia and served as the first Coffee COO of the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange. In 2009, he started looking for land to establish a coffee estate, and eventually convinced his brother, Tariku, to return to help operate their new company, METAD.

The Hambela Estate at Alaka, which is in the Hambela Woreda of the Guji Zone, was their first endeavor. They exported coffee for the first time in 2013. Since then, they have been working with local outgrowers in Hambela while also cultivating the land at their estate to prepare to harvest coffee. Their first viable crop was harvested this last October through January. Over the last years, they have also been busy establishing a second Hambela Estate at Bishan Fugu, as well as two collection stations at Benti Nenka and Buku. All METAD stations buy from local outgrowers, while the estates now produce some of their own coffee. METAD is expanding beyond Hambela with operations in the Gedeb Woreda of the Gedeo Zone. They have two collection stations at Beriti and Udeyi with plans to cultivate coffee near the Udeyi station.

Understanding the demand for traceability and sustainability from roasters like us, METAD has committed to outgrower education programs, gender equity within their workforce, and the education and social empowerment of the communities around their estates and stations. Particular practices of note within Ethiopia is their second payment to local outgrowers, which occurs 3-6 months after harvest and helps these growers survive in the economically barren offseason. METAD also employs Penagos Ecopulpers at their stations that prepare coffee using the washed process. This greatly reduces contaminants from entering the local water source and also increases efficiency at the stations. Their natural coffees are carefully sorted and dried with strict oversight of how much coffee is dried on each raised table. This practice promotes consistent drying and a better tasting cup of coffee.

Team taste notes: berry, grape, chocolate, lemon