Blessed Coffee Inauguration
September 16, 2011

Old Takoma Business Association hosted the inauguration of Blessed Coffee, the first community-based business. The event took place at the Gazebo in Old Town Takoma on September 16, 2011, featuring traditional Ethiopian music and a coffee ceremony.


White House Champion of Change Ceremony
January 29, 2012

We have been selected to be highlighted as a 'Champion of Change', which is part of President Obama's Winning the Future initiative... Read




The Genesis

In 2002, in Washington, DC, Tebabu Assefa met Mr. Tadesse Meskela, the founder and manager of the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU) at a forum organized by Oxfam International and Global Exchange to draw publicity to a campaign designed to bring awareness to the coffee crisis. Mr. Meskela was a keynote speaker at the event.

Mr. Meskela introduced Mr. Assefa to the world of coffee, the growing tradition, the history of the farmer's cooperatives union, the global coffee business and the challenge the union faces as it strives to get a better price for coffee in the global market. Mr. Assefa, who has had an extensive educational and professional experience promoting and marketing Culture and Arts, was fascinated by the coffee culture and inspired by the small farmers' collective effort to bargain for a better price in the global market. But he was also baffled by the unfairness of the market and in the end was highly motivated to develop a promotional campaign to create market awareness for the culture of coffee and share the story of the farmers with coffee 
... Read



Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.

Get Adobe Flash player