Fitsum Bekere
Sweet Plus Coffee — Ethiopia
Fitsum Bekere is an experienced coffee expert. He understands the Ethiopian coffee value chain from many angles — from advising international organizations to hands-on work in production, processing, and export.
Together with his wife Lensa Gari, he founded Sweet Plus Coffee. Their mission is clear: high quality, full traceability, sustainable farming, and direct relationships between producers and international roasters.
The Lensa Gari Station works with around 200 smallholder coffee farmers in the Guji region. Through direct trade, they gain reliable access to the market and transparent pricing.
Fitsum and Lensa oversee both processing and export. This ensures that quality premiums reach the families and translate into higher incomes.
Producers benefit from close collaboration, regular quality feedback, and long-term partnerships that go beyond single harvests.
This model strengthens local livelihoods. At the same time, it creates fairer access to the specialty coffee market.