Abel Ayele, Co-Founder and Chief Coffee Officer (CCO)
Mr. Abel Ayele serves as the Chief Coffee Officer (CCO) of Aroma Specialty Coffee. With a wealth of experience in coffee farming, production, processing, and exporting, Abel brings unparalleled expertise to the team. His profound knowledge of the coffee industry, coupled with his hands-on experience in both vertical and horizontal coffee sourcing, ensures that Aroma Specialty Coffee delivers only the finest quality coffee to its customers.
Abel is also the Founder and Managing Director of BunaAroma Coffee Exporter, a green coffee exporting company based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Founded in 2016, BunaAroma combines the rich heritage of Ethiopian coffee with a commitment to excellence. The company’s name reflects the essence of Ethiopian coffee culture—‘Buna’ meaning ‘coffee’ in Amharic, ‘Aroma’ denoting the coffee’s distinctive smell and flavor, and ‘Bunaro’ being the founder’s last name. BunaAroma specializes in exporting both specially prepared traceable and commercial coffee beans to global buyers and roasters.
Abel’s extensive career in the coffee industry includes roles such as Export & Marketing Manager for Damota Wolayta Farmers’ Cooperative Union Ltd. and Export Manager for a leading green coffee producer and exporter in Ethiopia. His comprehensive experience encompasses coffee export operations management, supply chain development, trained coffee cupping, grading, green coffee quality inspection, and over 10 years of sales and marketing expertise in the coffee sector. Abel’s leadership and deep industry knowledge are instrumental in ensuring that Aroma Specialty Coffee maintains its commitment to quality and sustainability.