Our
History
Black Lion Coffee is rooted in a legacy that began in the southern highlands of Ethiopia, where Mr Cheru Bizenu first began trading raw coffee beans in the late 19th century. His work connected local farmers to growing markets and laid the foundation for a family tradition built on integrity, craft, and deep respect for Ethiopian coffee.
In the decades that followed, his son, Mr Tadele Bizenu, expanded the business by establishing coffee plantations and washing plants. These sites supplied high-quality beans to major markets and to agents exporting to Europe, strengthening Ethiopia’s reputation for exceptional Arabica.
The next generation, led by Dr Buzuayehu T. Bizenu, carried this legacy forward with renewed entrepreneurial energy. After gaining hands-on experience in the family’s operations, he broadened the business into new commodities and later into tea blending and packaging. Under the Black Lion Tea brand, the company introduced loose black teas known for their bold aroma and rich flavour, becoming one of Ethiopia’s most admired tea names.
By the mid-nineties, the company entered industrial manufacturing by creating a tea estate and processing factory on 2,000 acres of land in southwestern Ethiopia. This marked a major step in transforming the business from trading to value-added production.
Today, Black Lion Coffee continues this evolution by roasting and packaging premium Ethiopian Arabica for both local and international markets. The mission is simple and enduring: to honour Ethiopian coffee at every stage, from sourcing to roasting, and to share its authentic character with the world.
The company maintains strict quality standards, selecting only top-grade beans and using advanced roasting and packaging technologies. Skilled tasters and baristas play a central role in ensuring consistency, supported by continuous training that reflects the family’s long‑standing commitment to excellence.
Black Lion Coffee remains dedicated to crafting the finest and freshest Arabica, carrying forward a heritage shaped by generations of expertise and a deep connection to Ethiopia’s coffee‑growing lands.
since
1891
In the 1980s, the family expanded its work beyond coffee trading by introducing the blending and packaging of loose black teas under the Black Lion Tea brand. The product quickly became one of Ethiopia’s most admired teas, celebrated for its bold aroma and distinctive flavour.
In 1995, Mr Buzuayehu advanced this vision by establishing a Tea Estate and Processing Factory on roughly 2,000 acres in southwestern Ethiopia, marking a significant step into industrial‑scale manufacturing and strengthening the brand’s reputation for quality.
Building on generations of coffee expertise, the company has since taken a new step forward by entering the coffee roasting and packaging industry. The goal is clear: to produce premium Ethiopian coffees under the Black Lion master brand and to share the richness of Ethiopian Arabica with markets around the world.
Throughout this evolution, the company has remained committed to uncompromising quality. Only top‑grade beans are selected, supported by state‑of‑the‑art roasting and packaging technologies that preserve freshness and flavour. Skilled tasters, roasters, and baristas play a central role in maintaining consistency, supported by continuous training that reflects the family’s long‑standing dedication to excellence.
For decades, this commitment has shaped every product that carries the Black Lion name — a tradition of craftsmanship, integrity, and respect for Ethiopia’s coffee heritage.
