12.04.2007 - 12:48pm ET

(CSRwire) ADDIS ABABA/LONDON - December 4, 2007 - As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia has a unique coffee heritage and many of its coffees hold the reputation of being best coffee in the world. Yet the farmers who produce and harvest this crop do not receive much in comparison to what consumers pay for this superior product. To redress this, in 2006 Ethiopia began to trademark its premium coffee designations such as - Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, Harrar/Harar - and to engage more directly with their important distributors and promoters around the world. The network of licensed distributors is now growing rapidly, supporting Ethiopia and the coffee farmers to ensure that they receive the prices of their coffee that they deserve. Recently Highland Coffees joined the network, prepared to support Ethiopia in tackling this challenge.

"We want to offer a warm welcome to Highland Coffees and its customers to our network and we look forward to working with our new partners in Scotland to develop a far greater awareness of Ethiopia's unique coffee story and heritage through sales and promotions to Scottish coffee lovers who care about fine coffee and the farmers who grow them," commented Getachew Mengistie, the Director General of the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office which is spearheading the effort in Ethiopia. "Highland Coffees is an authentic and valued partner for Ethiopia," he added.

After a visit to Ethiopia, Sarah Sherlock, Highland Coffees founder, noticed that there was a lack of Ethiopian coffees available. Ms. Sherlock set up Highland Coffees, a small roastery located in a castle in Perthshire, Scotland, with the aim of roasting and distributing the best Arabica beans from Ethiopia and other countries. Ms. Sherlock has made it a priority to promote efforts to enable local Ethiopian farmers to make a decent living harvesting coffee.

"Highland Coffees believes that a license to sell Ethiopian fine coffees through the registered brand names will enable its customers to focus on what is distinctive and good from that country. In this way its customers will be prepared to pay what it takes to drink a good cup. They will also be happy to know that Ethiopians themselves have a greater control over their own product," comments Ms. Sherlock.

Highland Coffees join eight companies in the United Kingdom who have partnered Ethiopia through their licensing deal and are joining the network. Worldwide there are already 34 licensed distributors of Ethiopia's coffees, and Ethiopia aims to reach out to 150-200 companies involved in the specialty coffee sector.

Scotland is a front runner in awareness of the links between unfair and poverty. A million people marched through the streets of Edinburgh to 'make poverty history' and Scotland is pioneering the criteria to become the first 'Fair Trade Nation' building on the enormous success of fair trade towns in Scotland. Highland Coffees joins Edinburgh-based Equal Exchange, who was the first to sign up in the UK.


Contact Details:

Highland Coffees: Sarah Sherlock +07876 010790
EIPO: Getachew Mengistie, Director General, EIPO +251 1 155534928
Ethiopian Embassy London: Gail Warden +44 (20) 7589-7212

For more information on Ethiopia's Trademarking and Licensing Initiative see the dedicated website: http://www.ethiopiancoffeenetwork.com.

For more information please contact: