12.07.2007 - 11:34am ET

(CSRwire) ADDIS ABABA/LONDON. – December 7, 2007 - Today Ethiopia celebrated the entry of a unique UK specialist coffee company to its growing network of importers, roasters and distributors. James' Gourmet Coffee is a UK based micro roasting company, and one of the most recent signatories of the licensing agreement with Ethiopia. James' Gourmet Coffee joins 34 other licensed distributors in the United States, Canada, Europe, Jersey, Japan, and South Africa.

"Our goal is reaching about 150-200 of the coffee companies worldwide who are most involved in the specialty coffee sector and can, because of their commitment to quality, distinctiveness and Ethiopian farmers, make the most difference to our prospects," commented Getachew Mengistie, Director General of the EIPO, which is spearheading the initiative in Ethiopia. Peter James is an enthusiast and is building a market based on raising consumers' awareness of fine coffees. We are delighted that ours feature in the portfolio."

"Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and has an enormous range of distinctive and appreciated coffees as part of its offering. The rising fortunes of small, dedicated and expert roasters and distributors offers a significant opportunity not just for the most famous Ethiopian coffees such as Harrar, Yirgacheffe and Sidamo, but also many others which may be more scarce." he added..

"As a company, we feel it is really important to stand on the side of the producer and the producing country, when it comes to the provenance and the intellectual ownership of the coffee itself. We feel that this licensing agreement is a preliminary step in empowering coffee growers and processors in Ethiopia, which can only be a good thing," commented Peter James, founder of the company.

Due to the growing momentum of the initiative, and Ethiopia's special place in the history of coffee, Ethiopia has been asked to be the portrait country at the 2008 Specialty Coffee Association of America's annual conference being held in Minneapolis, MN, a first for an African producing country.

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

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