Solino Coffee

Solino Coffee was launched in 2008 by Felix Ahlers with the mission to keep the entire coffee value chain in Ethiopia. Rather than exporting green beans, the brand harvests highland Arabica, roasts it slowly in drum roasters, prints the labels and packages every bag in Addis Ababa. This approach creates qualified, well-paid jobs and ensures that more value remains in the country. Their guiding philosophy, described as “Trade not aid,” argues that sustainable economic growth comes from giving producers access to markets. The beans are hand-picked and sun-dried before being roasted at low temperatures to develop full flavor and low acidity. The sales office is in Hamburg, Germany, but the production and roasting team operate entirely in Ethiopia.