by Xinhua writers Habtamu Worku, Liu Fangqiang

ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian coffee exporters are fine-tuning their preparations to further promote the country's prized coffee exports at the upcoming eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE), aiming to expand their presence in the world's second-largest economy.

Awo Coffee, a rapidly growing producer and exporter, is one such company eager to leverage the vast platform of the upcoming CIIE, which is scheduled for Nov. 5-10 in Shanghai.

Poised to strengthen its thriving export footprint, Awo Coffee cannot wait to participate in the expo for the first time, viewing it as a strategic catalyst for its brand growth in China, said Awo Marketing Manager Kaleab Fekad.

"We believe we have not yet tapped a significant portion of the Chinese market," he said. "The upcoming CIIE will help us reach that potential."

AWO COFFEE'S "YES" TO CHINA

For Awo Coffee, whose name derives from the Amharic word for "Yes," China is the primary focus of its export expansion ambition.

Awo's coffee is sourced from its own 14-hectare farm and through collaborations with smallholder farmers, and its coffee beans are processed at a facility in Hawassa City, some 270 km south of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

"We prioritize maintaining the unique quality, taste and aroma of top-notch Ethiopian Arabica coffee," said Tesfaye Gebru, general manager of Awo Coffee. "Since we began in 2014, the fast-growing Chinese coffee market has emerged as our primary export destination."

The company began by exporting premium green coffee beans before expanding its operations to include roasted coffee as well.

Awo Coffee also imports premium packaging materials from China to ensure the smooth delivery of its fresh and organic coffee to the Chinese market, in a variety of sizes and blends.

"In addition to our roasted coffee exports, we also shipped 200 tonnes of high-quality Ethiopian green coffee beans so far in 2025 to China and the Middle East, with 70 percent of these exports directed to China," said Gebru, the general manager.

EXPANDING MARKET CONNECTIONS AT CIIE

Awo Coffee, which has already dispatched a dedicated team to the upcoming CIIE, said its debut participation at the expo aligns with the company's strategic objective of deepening relationships with both existing and new Chinese counterparts.

According to organizers, over 3,200 enterprises from more than 110 countries and regions have confirmed their participation at the upcoming CIIE which, since its inception in 2018, has become a key platform for market entry into China.

"We firmly believe the expo will serve as a vital platform to significantly enhance our market presence in China, building on our established momentum," Gebru said.

"Given the immense potential of the Chinese coffee market and our ambition to capitalize on this opportunity, we see the CIIE as a crucial platform for further strengthening our foothold in China," he said. "We will bring more Ethiopian coffee companies to the expo if our participation turns out successful."

COFFEE: BACKBONE OF ETHIOPIAN ECONOMY

To better understand Awo Coffee's strategic ambitions, one must first appreciate the coffee sector's vital importance to the Ethiopian economy. Widely regarded as the birthplace of Arabica coffee, the East African country's economy has been historically intertwined with its rich coffee resources.

Ethiopia is Africa's largest producer of Arabica coffee, and coffee production has been a linchpin of its agriculture-led economy. There are about five million smallholder coffee growers in Ethiopia, and more than 25 million people in the country are involved in coffee production, processing, and sales for their livelihoods, according to official figures.

The sector's economic vitality was highlighted by record export numbers during the 2024/2025 Ethiopian fiscal year that ended on July 7 -- 2.65 billion U.S. dollars in revenue from the export of 468,967 tonnes of coffee to the international market, according to the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA).

CHINA NOW AMONG TOP DESTINATIONS

In recent years, the Chinese market has rapidly become a top destination for Ethiopia's premium coffee. According to ECTA data, China is now the fourth-largest importer of Ethiopian coffee, up from the seventh place just two years ago.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, ECTA Deputy Director-General Shafi Umer said that in the first quarter of the current Ethiopian fiscal year, starting on July 8, the East African country exported about 9,500 tonnes of coffee to China, earning 65.49 million dollars -- an increase of nearly sevenfold compared to the same period last year.

This remarkable surge is attributed to shipments of organic coffee and improved delivery services, aligning with growing Chinese demand for premium, high-quality coffee.

"We are delighted that the Chinese people, especially the youth, are switching to drinking Ethiopian coffee instead of tea, and that Chinese buyers import an increasing volume of organic coffee directly from Ethiopia," Umer said.