We, at Bench Maji Coffee Farmer Cooperative Union, have investigated and confirmed that there are a group of people acting as if they are our Union, with the prefix “Bench Maji” and Suffix “Union” on their name, and trying to approach our clients and partners.

According to our research, The Cooperative union has an evidence that a fraudulent company uses our trademarks and copyrighted products to sell a lower quality coffee product for a cheaper price. Our union is established according to Ethiopian and International laws and currently exports coffee to different parts of the world. This doesn’t not only create income opportunity to thousands of hardworking farmers and their families in our region but also generates millions of dollars in foreign currency which is badly needed in Ethiopia.

In addition to this, BMCFCU has worked very hard to enhance the quality of coffees produced by our members to the level that attracts a higher coffee price from international buyers. The name “Bench Maji Coffee” is now one of the most recognized specialty coffees that is available in the international market.

However, in violation of local and international trademark and copyright of “Bench Maji Coffee” some local companies are using our well-earned popular and recognized brand to cheat and sell a lower quality coffee to the international market. This has not only confused local and national authorities but also our valued clients and partners across the globe. According to Ethiopia’s Cooperatives union law, BMCFCU is the only registered and recognized organization allowed to export coffee under “Bench Maji Coffee Union”. Any other organization is prohibited to use this name or become certified to sell coffee products under our name.

Please kindly be informed that there is no other “Bench Maji Coffee Union” for it is against the FDRE Proclamations of Cooperative and for it is also against the international Certification and traceability System. Therefore, take note of this and be sure that it is a real “Bench Maji Coffee Union” with our brand logo (attached below) before you take any action for anyone coming to you as a “coffee Union in Bench Maji”.

Yours Sincerely,

Bench Maji Coffee Farmers Ltd Cooperative Union Committed to Benefit All!

Contact Person: Terefe T. Godi

Mobile: +251944739938

Tel: +251114707044

Fax: +251114707101  

Email: terefe@benchmajicoffeeunion.com  and terefetg@gnmail.com  

Unlike most farmers in the region where harvesting starts in October/November and end in January/February, our harvesting new crop starts in early July and runs until end of November.

Currently we have dried specialty coffees ready for export. This allows our customers and buyers to purchase the Freshest Coffee from Ethiopia. We have dried specialty coffees and Naturals Grade 1 and 3 coffees ready for export. We will start shipping November 2019 onward.  At the meantime, we are in the process of drying Wild Naturals & Geisha Naturals coffees.

Please call us today and we will be glad to answer any questions you might have or take your order.

Kind regards,
Bench Maji Coffee, Spice and Honey Farmers Cooperative Union Team

Contact Person: Terefe T. Godi

Mobile: +251944739938

Tel: +251114707044

Fax: +251114707101  

Email: terefe@benchmajicoffeeunion.com  and terefetg@gnmail.com  

During the training  conducted by Addis Technology (www.addistechnology.com),  a Canadian Company with a subsidiary in Ethiopia,  on the first day, participants were familiarized with basics of ICTs before conducting practical use of ICTs and answer a short exam questions on the second/final day. Based on the exam results, BMCFCU has issued a certificate confirming a successful completion of the training to participants.

According to Getahun Tekle Thomas, General Manager of the union, such ICTs training increase efficiency and lower operating costs. The management also believes ICTs can transform the management of cooperatives by improving management practices, reporting and records management as well as create an online presence to reach out different customer bases on the web.

For more information or any questions please contact Terefe T. Godi, International Business & Communications Manager -Export Coordination Office, Addis Ababa

Email: terefe@benchmajicoffeeunion.com / terefetg@gmail.com

Tel: +251114707044

Mob: +251944739938 / +251917329783

Skype: terefe.tadesse3

Bench Maji Coffee, Spice and Honey Farmers Cooperative Union is excited to announce the launch of our new website (https://benchmajicoffeeunion.com).

Please take a look around and you will find descriptions of the many coffee, honey andspices we produce for both local and international.

You will also see ontact us form and more information about what makes Bench Maji Coffee, Spice and Honey Farmers Cooperative Union the best in the business!

Many thanks to Gold Star Adverting and our marketing teams for their hard work!

Kind regards,
Bench Maji Coffee, Spice and Honey Farmers Cooperative Union Team

February 15, 2019 Newbusinessethiopia

Ethiopia, the largest coffee producers is set to triple its coffee production in the coming five years by improving its production and marketing system.

The planned marketing system allows coffee growers to export their products directly. The government expects to harvest 600,000 tons of coffee this fiscal year October to September. The plan now is triple to 1.8 million tons by the year 2024.

Meanwhile Ethiopia’s coffee production remains largely unchanged for 2018/19 fiscal year from the previous year at 426,000 metric tons, according to one of the major buyers of Ethiopian coffee, the United States Office of Agricultural Affairs estimate.

Old coffee trees will be replaced by new coffee seedlings to boost productivity.  This is indicated by General Director of Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority Adugna Debella, who indicated that his authority has also planned to target East Asian market.

In addition to the existing coffee plantations it is estimated that Ethiopia has an additional 5.4 million hectares of suitable land available for growing coffee.

Ethiopia currently sells most of its coffee to Europe and the United States and Japan. The United States is the fourth largest buyer of Ethiopian coffee, accounting for nearly 10% of total exports by volume.

In addition Italy, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, France and Sudan are the major importers of the Ethiopian Arabica coffee.

Coffee is the major export item of Ethiopia generating around $800 million annually, representing 25% to 30% of of the total export earnings of the country.

Currently around 20% of the coffee production of Ethiopia is reportedly coming from forest often labeled as wild coffee. Arabica coffee has its origin in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is the largest coffee producer in Africa and the fifth largest producer in the world and accounts for 4.2% of the global coffee production. Ethiopians are among the largest coffee consumers in Africa and the coffee consumption trend in Ethiopia is growing at a steady pace. Almost 50% of the country’s coffee production is consumed domestically.

Ethiopian Arabica coffee exports account for 25-30% of the region’s total export revenue. Ethiopia accounts for 29% of the African coffee trade, according to Mordor Intelligence report on Ethiopian coffee.

We headed back to Addis in Ethiopia this January, following our quick trip in September. We were keen to see Bench Maji’s progression as a new Union and cup the latest crop from the regions in the area at our partners office in Addis.

Bench Maji continues to improve and grow each year. Many people have not yet heard of Bench Maji which was often sold as Limu – but now they have a new modern logo and are pushing their coffee every day, it will soon be as famous Yirgacheffe, Sidamo and Limu (we hope!).

A Different Approach

Ethiopia has a huge deforestation problem, 80 – 90% of the forest has diminished in the last 400 years. Bench Maji Union strives to maintain the forest and protect the coffee gene pool which is found there.

Participatory Forest Management (PFM) and Bench Maji Union aims to empower communities by giving them clear rights to the forest and its resources, while in return engaging communities to take responsibility for managing the forest. The government becomes the monitor of the forest, rather than the protector. PFM takes an economic view of forests and recognises that they are a renewable resource whose products can be harvested sustainably while addressing specific biodiversity goals.

The local government has helped the Union grow by providing land for processing and for their primary office. Following a conversation with Ato Wondimu Gebre Dikubab, the Bench Maji zonal Chief Administrator (head of the zone), he mentioned that they struggled to aid a large proportion of farmers, but with the help of the union a large amount of small holder farmers can now benefit.

MEETING WITH THE ZONAL CHIEF

Visiting a newly established Union is an insightful experience as their approach to tasks are always different. A great example of this is how Bench Maji Union uses a local radio station to communicate with farmers on a weekly basis. On the “show” there is a Q&A on environmental and social issues, which supports and motivates farmers to produces the best possible coffee

Sanka Cooperative

Whilst out in the field we were lucky to visit one of Bench Maji’s smaller Cooperatives – Sanka Cooperative (in a small village called Sanka). We were the first buyer to ever visit this community which was quite a special moment, and overwhelming when being followed by over 100 people –  an experience that I will never forget.  This is the first year that we will be importing Sanka’s coffee and from what we have seen in their samples the coffee has a brand new profile that we look forward to receiving.

New Processes

Following an extremely rewarding trip out West. We flew back to Addis to partake in a huge cupping of the specialty delights which will be travelling to our shores later in the year. Out of 80 different cups of coffee, the most interesting out of the entire table was the honey process. A first for our partner and can only be described as a new profile for Ethiopian coffee – biscuit and caramel with berries.

Along with new and exciting processes, we are hoping to start a new project which we would like to launch before June this year, that will enable us to bring small holder farmer lots to Europe. We shall include a farmer’s family information, water TDS that has been used for milling, farm GPS, altitude and general background information of the washing station that will process their coffee.

It is an exciting year for Ethiopian Coffee. New regulations have been drafted and there is word on the street that these could be implemented this year – but this is Africa and unfortunately changes do not happen overnight.

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The Bench Maji Forest Coffee Producer Farmers’ Cooperative Union said it is working to increase its coffee supply to international market by 30 percent.

At the recent National Cooperative Associations Bazaar and Symposium,the Union Chief Executive Getahun Tekle said: ” Having carried out market assessment, we have planned to raise the current six percent coffee export .

“In his presentation, he made clear that though the union has been encountering many internal and external challenges, such as less quality and quantity of its coffee products which in turn has made the union not to be competitive in international market.

After receiving necessary support from the state ,the union has begun exporting coffee since 2011, he noted.

As to him, overcoming the current challenges, the union is now on the right track to increase the amount of coffee supply to both local and international markets. Accordingly, the union has managed to increase the amount of export coffee from one percent in 2014 to six percent in last year.

Apart from exporting coffee, the union is also exporting spices and honey. The union’s honey supply has reached 20 tonne annually and its modern honey processing factory is also under construction.

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Read the original article on Ethiopian Herald.