NKG Group partners with MIDROC to market Ethiopian coffee

ETHIOPIA – Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG), a globally operating green coffee service group, has signed a bilateral coffee marketing agreement with MIDROC Investment Group, the owner of the world’s largest coffee farms managed under Horizon Plantations and Ethio Agri-CEFT.

The agreement also includes coffee processing and warehousing facilities in Addis Ababa. The partnership seeks to improve coffee productivity and support the development of coffee plantations, making Ethiopian coffee even more competitive on the world stage.

Both companies have also committed to advancing coffee science and innovation, ensuring a sustainable future for Ethiopia’s coffee industry.

David M. Neumann, Group CEO, said, “This agreement with MIDROC Investment Group feels truly special. It’s built on a foundation of trust, friendship, and a shared vision to advance not just our companies, but Ethiopia’s pivotal role in the global coffee industry.”

“We’re immensely proud to partner with the world’s largest Arabica coffee farms, recognizing the vast potential of Ethiopian coffees in the international market. This collaboration allows us to showcase the rich history and unique story behind these exceptional coffees, while also diversifying their reach to new customers worldwide.”

MIDROC Investment Group is known for its commitment to producing good quality coffee, with six large coffee farms—Bebeka, Limu, Ayehu, Gemadro, Duyena, and Beha land.

MIDROC Investment Group’s CEO, Mr. Jamal Ahmed, noted, “We are also grateful to Mr. David Neumann, CEO of NKG, for his longstanding dedication to promoting Ethiopian coffee worldwide.”

In June, the executives of MIDROC announced that the giant will retain its brand name domestically despite a makeover in Sweden, where it has changed its branding to Granitor.

However, inside sources that were not quoted by the Reporter claim that the rebranding may take place in Ethiopia eventually.

They allege the rebranding in Scandinavia was a direct result of Sheikh Al-Amoudi’s detention in Saudi Arabia on allegations of corruption, which has negatively affected the company’s image in Europe.

Meanwhile, the partnership is a big step for NKG, which previously had a Representative Office in Ethiopia, established in 2007, with the objective of representing the interests of NKG group companies in the country.

Coffee production in Ethiopia is a longstanding tradition that dates back dozens of centuries. Ethiopia is where Coffea arabica, the coffee plant, originates.

Ethiopia is the world’s fifth-largest producer of coffee and Africa’s top producer, with over 4 million small-scale farmers producing coffee.

Coffee is Ethiopia’s number one source of export revenue, generating about 30-35 percent of the country’s total export earnings.

All the coffee produced in Ethiopia is of the Coffea arabica variety. It should be noted that NKG shut down its milling business in Kenya after failing to secure a government license, but its export operations under Ibero Kenya are active.

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