5.03.2007 - 01:00pm ET

(CSRwire) LONG BEACH, CA - May 3, 2007 - The Ethiopian Coffee Trademarking and Licensing Initiative plan to make a splash this week. Its licensing team members are ready and waiting at the SCAA to make their pitch at Booth #1245 and enlist new partners for their innovative new approach to joint management of Ethiopia’s best known fine coffee brands, Sidamo, Harar and Yirgacheffe.

The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO) and legal firm Arnold and Porter have secured trademarks for Ethiopia’s unique Harar, Sidamo and Yirgacheffe coffees in 28 countries around the world and more than a dozen US companies have signed up and approached the Ethiopian Licensing Team for formal discussions since starting this phase in late 2006. Ethiopians now hope to convince the many specialty coffee roasters visiting the Specialty Coffee Association of America's Annual Conference in Long Beach this week of the business case for their initiative and also, of course, to win over their hearts, minds and taste buds!

The EIPO Licensing Management Team and representatives of the fine coffee sector have been preparing hard for this, their first major sales mission. But they are not just selling coffee beans this time. Capacity building in Ethiopia has focused on understanding the value of Ethiopian fine coffee brands abroad, the revenue-generating ability of a brand and the need to forge a new type of relationship with coffee companies around the world to protect and enhance these brands. The team includes EIPO head Getachew Mengistie and senior cupper, Desse Nure, whose skills in coffee tasting are widely esteemed and who forms part of a team running Ethiopia’s centuries-old quality control system.

The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office is aware the momentum is growing. "We are surprised and heartened to see how many coffee companies are checking out the Initiative's new, dedicated website, www.ethiopiancoffeenetwork.com. There is clearly a strong urge to find out more and why others have already joined," commented Mengistie en route for California.

Coffee company views on the Initiative reveal the depth of Ethiopia's innovation and the sense of adventure for new network members: "Exciting!" ; "Intriguing!" ; And "Something we think our company should be part of." The second Meeting of The Ethiopian Fine Coffee Stakeholder Group and the network of coffee companies will take place just before the SCAA starts and the future of these coffees is being jointly mapped out. The sense of anticipation is wider than the coffee experts and distributors.

"The fine coffee sector in Ethiopia is really enthusiastic about forging a new form of partnership with coffee companies. For too long, once a container of coffee left Ethiopia its destination was unknown and unknowable. The coffee effectively ceased to exist! Farmers and all in the chain work very hard for very little to make this possible. They have no idea of the level of appreciation among coffee lovers overseas for this, their heritage and birthright. This is set to change. It is very inspiring for all," continued Mengistie.

This is a formative time for Ethiopia and its partners, but just the beginning for Ethiopians looking for a more sustainable and prosperous future for all in the chain from tree to cup.

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