Haile Gebre

Learn more about this coffee.

Haile Gebre is a key figure in the recent history of Ethiopian coffee. Although his family lost their land to coffee expansion when he was a child, Haile eventually reconciled with coffee decades later. 

After years of military service, imprisonment and studies in Moscow, he returned to Ethiopia with a clear vision: to empower rural communities through coffee.

In 2001, he settled in Guji, where he began cultivating coffee alongside his wife and seven daughters, encouraging other farmers to do the same. 

His initiative transformed the area, which shifted from livestock farming to becoming a globally recognised coffee-growing region.

This washed Heirloom coffee, grown at 1,800 metres, reflects the bright character of Guji, with notes of apricot, vanilla and white chocolate — a tribute to Haile’s perseverance and vision.

Meet the producer

The Story of Haile Gebre: From Rejecting Coffee to Turning Guji into an Iconic Region

Behind many exceptional coffees lie stories of resilience, transformation and unwavering dedication. Few, however, are as compelling as that of Haile Gebre, the Ethiopian producer whose life has been shaped — and in many ways defined — by coffee. Today we present a washed Heirloom grown at 1,800 metres in Guji, a coffee that shines with notes of apricot, vanilla and white chocolate. But to truly understand this lot, we must first explore the journey of the man behind it.

A beginning marked by loss

For Haile, coffee was not always a friend. At just ten years old, his family was forced to flee their home near Yirgacheffe when feudal landlords claimed the land for large-scale coffee production. As the son of a smallholder coffee farmer, Haile felt betrayed by the bean that should have been part of his heritage. Coffee became a symbol of injustice, a wound that stayed with him for years.

This early experience followed him into adulthood as he sought a life far from the fields. After a brief period at Addis Ababa University, he joined the navy in 1972. His intelligence and leadership skills quickly caught the attention of his superiors, who assigned him to the engineering and navigation division. Yet Haile longed for real challenge and soon returned to university to pursue a more meaningful path.

A life shaped by duty, conviction and imprisonment

This movement between academic life and military obligations eventually led him to a role within the government. From 1973 to 1976, Haile worked for the Ministry of Land Reform and the Cooperative Institute in Awassa. Known for his passionate and outspoken nature, he was considered “too opinionated” by some senior officials. His willingness to confront sensitive social issues resulted in a three-year prison sentence.

Upon his release, Haile left Ethiopia to study Business Management in Moscow. After five years abroad, he returned to Addis Ababa in 1984 and began teaching Cooperative Management. He later became the Regional Governor of Oromia and founded the Cooperative Bank of Oromia Cooperative Union, focusing specifically on supporting coffee cooperatives. Without realising it, he was already taking the first steps back towards coffee — and towards reconciliation.

Returning to coffee… and to his roots

The turning point came in 2001. Haile, his wife and their seven daughters moved to the highlands of Guji, where he inherited a piece of family land ideal for coffee cultivation. Surrounded by forests and mountains, Haile began to see coffee in a new light.

He didn’t simply grow coffee — he dreamt boldly. He distributed seedlings among local farmers and encouraged them to believe in the potential of this crop to transform their lives. And he was right. Working alongside two key figures — Tesfaye Bekele of Suke Quto Farm and Menno Simons, founder of Trabocca — Haile helped shift Guji from a predominantly cattle-farming area into a respected coffee-growing region.

Guji today: a vision realised

The transformation has been remarkable. In just fifteen years, thanks to the pioneering work of Haile, Tesfaye and Menno, more than 45 washing stations and 55 dry mills have been established across the Guji zone. Today, Guji is recognised globally for producing coffees with elegance, complexity and a distinctive character.

A coffee that tells a story

This washed Heirloom lot, harvested in 2025, is more than just a coffee. It is the outcome of a life shaped by resilience, conviction and a commitment to improving the future of an entire community. Each cup carries that story: the sweetness of apricot, the smoothness of vanilla, the creamy touch of white chocolate… and the journey of a man who transformed his childhood enemy into his greatest legacy.