More Than Coffee.
A Lasting Connection.

1. The Sacred Roots
   Ethiopia’s Gift

   Tears of the Sky

   Long before Heleph Coffee became a name recognized worldwide, the story of our beans begins in the misty highlands of Ethiopia — the birthplace of Arabica coffee. Legends speak of Waaqa, the supreme sky god, who wept divine tears over a loyal servant. Those tears fell not as rain, but as seeds upon the red earth of Sidama, birthing the first coffee plants: a gift from sorrow to strength, healing hearts and awakening souls. This is the eternal origin we honor in every harvest — “Tears of the Sky.”

2. 1970s–1980s

   The Family Foundation

   Our real legacy began in 1976, when our grandfather, Tulu Kankura, planted his first coffee plantation in Harbegona village (now part of Bona Zuria, Sidama Region). A man deeply tied to the soil, he saw coffee not merely as a crop, but as a promise for future generations.

   In 1986, his son — our father Ayele Tulu — inherited portions of the family farms and established early washing stations. For decades, Ayele Tulu dedicated himself to meticulous processing, supplying high-quality cherries to local markets and the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX). Through droughts, market challenges, and shifting seasons, he upheld an unwavering commitment: quality endures when the heart is devoted.

3. 1990s–2010s

   Building Resilience

   Ayele Tulu’s work laid the groundwork for what would become one of Ethiopia’s most respected family operations. His washing station in Bona Zuria became a hub for precise, shade-grown cultivation and hand-sorted excellence. Over 30+ years, the family processed and supplied exceptional coffees, earning recognition for consistency and care.

   Tsegab Ayele, born and raised in Hawassa (Sidama’s capital), grew up immersed in this tradition. After studying engineering and gaining experience in coffee from 2011 onward, he witnessed the limitations of traditional supply chains — where farmers often received minimum prices despite premium potential. This sparked a vision: direct, traceable export to reward quality and uplift communities.

4. 2018–Present

   The Birth of Heleph

   In 2018, following Ethiopia’s export regulation reforms that allowed more direct international trade, Tsegab founded Heleph Coffee Exporter. The name “Heleph” symbolizes our mission: bridging ancestral wisdom with modern innovation to transform lives from farm to cup. Building on Ayele’s established washing stations, including the renowned Ayele Tulu station, Heleph expanded rapidly.

   Today, we own and operate 12+ washing stations across premier regions: Sidama (with strong focus on Bona Zuria at 2,000–2,300m+ altitudes), Yirgacheffe, and Guji. We partner with over 600 smallholder outgrowers — many women-led — purchasing cherries at premium prices, ensuring fair livelihoods, traceability, and sustainable practices. Innovations like honey, natural, washed, and anaerobic processes highlight our engineering precision, blended with traditional knowledge.

   From grandfather Tulu’s first seeds to Ayele’s steadfast persistence and Tsegab’s visionary bridge to the world, Heleph stands as a guardian of Ethiopia’s sacred bean. We are proud to be a leading traceable producer and exporter, delivering single-origin specialty coffees to global partners while uplifting thousands in our communities.

• 3

  Generations

• 12+

  Washing Stations

• 600+

  Smallholder Outgrowers

• 2,300m

  Peak Altitudes

“Taste the heritage. Experience the origin. Honor the gift.”

• Our Vision

  To become one of the world’s most trusted Ethiopian specialty coffee exporters, recognized for exceptional Ethiopian Arabica coffee, uncompromising quality, complete traceability, and responsible sustainability. We aspire to connect Ethiopia’s finest coffee origins with roasters, buyers, and coffee enthusiasts around the world while creating lasting prosperity for farmers, communities, partners, and the wider coffee industry.

• Our Mission

  To source, process, and export premium Ethiopian Arabica and specialty coffee with exceptional quality, full traceability, and responsible, sustainable practices. We preserve the unique character of coffee from its origin while continuously improving our processing, innovation, and quality standards — creating lasting value through trusted, long-term partnerships with farmers, communities, roasters, and global coffee buyers.

• Our Core Values

  • 01 Heritage & Innovation
  • 02 Environmental Stewardship
  • 03 Local Empowerment
  • 04 Ethical Traceability
  • 05 Premium Quality
  • 06 Holistic Cooperation

• 

  Farmers

  The foundation of the coffee supply chain.

• 

  Communities

  The people and places that sustain coffee production.

• 

  Knowledge

  Traditional and local knowledge passed through generations.

• 

  Relationships

  Long-term connections that create shared value.

• Quality

  Continually improving the coffees we source and deliver.

• People

  Supporting meaningful relationships and local opportunity.

• Sustainability

  Promoting responsible practices for people and environment.

• Partnerships

  Building lasting relationships with producers and global buyers.