Ethiopia Hosts First Cup Tasters Challenge, Marking a New Chapter for Its Coffee Community
Addis Ababa – world×Buna Kura
Galani Coffee made history on December 1 by hosting Ethiopia’s first Cup Tasters Challenge, an event organized in partnership with the Iran Coffee Society and celebrated as a defining milestone for the country’s fast-growing specialty coffee scene.
The competition brought two global champions to Addis Ababa:
• Young Baek, World Cup Tasters Champion
• Taufan Mokoginta, World Roasting Champion
Their presence transformed the event into an intensive learning platform, where Ethiopia’s rising sensory talents received coaching, cupped side-by-side with champions, and gained exposure to world-class tasting standards.
Beyond the excitement of competition, the day symbolized something far greater — a meaningful connection between Ethiopia’s legacy as the birthplace of coffee and the expanding global culture of specialty coffee. The challenge underscored Ethiopia’s growing ambition to elevate its sensory professionals and strengthen its role at the forefront of the international coffee industry.
