Jeju Coffee Farm CEO, Kim Young-han, also known as the “Coffee Virtuoso” of Jeju Island, has expressed a strong desire to expand his research to Ethiopia’s coffee bean. During a discussion with the Ethiopian ambassador to South Korea, Dessie Dalkie, Kim explored the possibility of adding value to Ethiopian coffee beans by producing “wine” and natural cosmetics from them. Kim, a former Samsung Electronics executive, is renowned for producing locally grown coffee and selling it at his cafe, as well as experimenting with coffee cherry peel to make “wine” with volcanic bedrock water. He has also created a line of natural cosmetics with rich antioxidants derived from coffee beans. Kim noted that he is aware of the fact that Ethiopian coffee is renowned for its fruity and flowery characteristics. Ambassador Dessie Dalkie stated that Ethiopia is the birthplace of the coffee bean and described Ethiopian coffee as sweet, with a fruity flavor and aroma that is superior to any other coffee. The ambassador welcomed Kim’s efforts to add value to Ethiopian coffee and affirmed the embassy and Ethiopian government’s readiness to collaborate with him to promote Ethiopian coffee and enhance its demand.
