Biniyam Aklilu

Gujoo Trading owns three washing stations and four natural processing stations in Ethiopia’s Guji region, exporting coffee from 1,300 local farmers to the global market. Founded in 2018 by Biniyam Aklilu, who comes from a long line of coffee producers dating back to his great-grandfather, Gujoo carries on a deeply rooted family legacy.

Biniyam began working in coffee at age 20 while studying at an American university, initially taking on responsibilities such as expanding the customer base. After gaining diverse experience at Nardos Coffee, a company his father established and grew, he started Gujoo in 2018. Rather than accept a guaranteed position as the next head of Nardos, Biniyam struck out on his own, forging a unique path in the coffee industry. Now at 30, what does he have on his mind?

Shifting the focus to specialty coffee

For people in Guji, everything around them is seen as a gift from God, and coffee, one of the region’s signature products, is no exception. In fact, it occupies a uniquely special place in the community. 

For example, when disputes arise, village elders bring coffee, prepare it together, and discuss solutions. Coffee is also gifted to newlywed couples by elders and served as a gesture of hospitality. In this way, it is intertwined with nearly every important moment of human connection.

At Gujoo, Biniyam purchases coffee cherries from these Guji farmers, processes them at the company’s own washing stations, and exports the final product. Beyond simply buying cherries, Gujoo pays farmers premium prices and provides technical training in areas like soil management and pruning.

Currently, specialty coffee accounts for about 40% of Gujoo’s total supply. Planning to expand that share even further, Biniyam has selected locations for new washing stations at altitudes above 2,000 meters, with sloped terrain and young coffee trees.

“If the land is flat, water stays there and rots,” Biniyam explains. “That’s why we insist on using only clean spring water straight from underground sources. When we process washed coffee, we depulp it and leave it in soaking tanks for about 36 hours, during which time the beans absorb everything in the water.”

Gujoo essentially operates like a startup. Aiming for growth, Biniyam looks for the same level of drive and passion from his nearly 20 permanent employees.

“During the three- to four-month harvest season, we pick coffee during the day, collect cherries at night, and only take Sundays off, so it’s essentially a 24-hour operation. Without a team that stays connected and can communicate at any time, it’s difficult to achieve real growth.”

Coffee was always the path

In Guji, the Aklilu family has been in the coffee business for generations. It all began with Biniyam’s great-grandfather, who established the region’s first coffee farm. His grandfather followed by opening Guji’s first washing station, and then his father launched a coffee export business in 1998. Each generation added their own layer to the family legacy.

Raised on stories of this heritage, Biniyam never questioned whether he would pursue coffee. As a child, he spent his days playing at the washing stations and farms, observing the people who worked there. Over time, coffee became an inseparable part of his life – almost as if it was coded into his DNA.

At 16, Biniyam moved to the United States to start high school and live with relatives. There, he had the chance to speak directly with customers and coffee drinkers, and each time he heard “I love coffee!” his motivation soared.

Though he was naturally introverted, being in a new place with no friends or familiar faces pushed him to adapt. In a country like America, where you have to speak up to be heard, Biniyam had to overcome his reserved tendencies to engage with friends and customers, a process that gradually reshaped his personality.

But his time in the US also opened his eyes to the harshness of reality. He saw just how competitive the world could be and met many Ethiopians whose living standards left much to be desired. Comparing the prospects for success in America and back home, he decided to drop out of college. In 2013, at age 20, Biniyam returned to Ethiopia.

Learning to enjoy the challenges

Biniyam began his coffee career as a cashier at one of his father’s Nardos washing stations. He went on to manage all four stations, gaining hands-on experience in coffee processing. After moving to Addis Ababa, he served as a marketing manager and later took charge of export operations. In overseeing the business as a whole, he handled not just coffee but also the import of GrainPro bags from the Philippines.

However, Biniyam’s real challenges began after founding Gujoo Trading. Despite his father’s success with Nardos, to the banks he was still just a twenty-something entrepreneur with no proven track record. Without that credibility, he struggled to secure the loans he needed to bring his ideas to life. When he left Nardos, he had reassured his father, “Don’t worry. I’ll manage everything on my own,” but he eventually had to rely on him for financial support.

“Now we’ve finally lined up our funding, and I believe our current issues will work out in time. Back at Nardos, I’d get into arguments with staff who weren’t pulling their weight, but I never faced anything as serious as what I’m dealing with now – mainly because I wasn’t the one ultimately responsible for every final decision.

Founding Gujoo and becoming the person in charge changed my mindset. I’ve learned to enjoy the hardships and challenges. In the process of finding solutions, I often ask for advice, which also deepens my relationships with the people around me.

The three- to four-month harvest season is especially tough. Problems and disputes pop up everywhere, so I’m constantly on the move. And since the roads aren’t in great condition, I end up dealing with flat tires and breakdowns. But those moments, when nothing goes the way you planned, are exactly what make us stronger.”

The irresistible world of coffee

“Once you’re in the coffee world, you can’t get out.” Biniyam still remembers these words from his father when he was a child.

“You fall so deeply in love with coffee that it’s almost an addiction. Whether or not it’s profitable, your mind is completely consumed by it. Now, I really understand what my father meant.

Through coffee, I’ve connected with people across the globe and continuously deepened my knowledge of the industry. But more than anything, it’s the challenges and hurdles that make it so hard to ever walk away.”

Beyond building a thriving business, Biniyam also aims to broaden his social impact. One recent initiative involved working with his customers to distribute reusable menstrual kits to young girls in local elementary and high schools. The idea came after hearing from community elders that many female students drop out simply because they lack access to menstrual products.

“I’m fortunate to still work with customers I built relationships with during my time at Nardos, so finding buyers has never been an issue. But, in reality, most of them are entirely business-focused.

My goal is to help tackle Ethiopia’s problems. By increasing coffee exports, I hope to alleviate the country’s shortage of foreign currency. I also want to improve living conditions in the rural communities where our washing stations operate.

These communities need so many things – building schools, providing clean water, paving roads. That’s why, at Gujoo, we want to strengthen partnerships with customers who share this vision.”