Black Lion Coffee

What Black Lion Coffee does

Black Lion Coffee is an Ethiopia-based producer of premium 100% Arabica coffee, operated by the Bizenu family and a subsidiary of East African Agri Business PLC. The company roasts and packages coffee sourced from Ethiopia's southern highlands, offering ground and whole bean variants in 250gm, 500gm, and 1kg sizes, using one-way valve bag packaging to preserve freshness. Founded in 1891, the business is operated by seven employees from its headquarters in Addis Ababa and extends through a related 2,000-acre Black Lion Tea estate and processing factory in southwestern Ethiopia established in 1995.

The company sells directly to consumers through a self-serve e-commerce storefront on blacklioncoffee.net and serves wholesale/B2B buyers via a quote-based ordering channel. Products are positioned as premium Ethiopian Arabica with hand-picked beans and medium-to-dark roast profiles, and the brand has received external validation through the 2016 AVPA Gourmet Award as best coffee from East Africa. Distribution targets both Ethiopian and international markets, though no specific geographic split or revenue figures are disclosed.

The business model is straightforward product sales with one-time purchase transactions at unpublicized price points. The company does not operate a mobile app, has no disclosed API or digital integrations, and relies on basic digital marketing channels (website, newsletter, social media, news/blog). There is no evidence of external venture funding, M&A activity, or institutional investment; ownership remains within the founding family across multiple generations.

Name

Black Lion Coffee

Legal name

Black Lion Coffee

Website

https://blacklioncoffee.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Lion Coffee is an Ethiopia-based, family-owned producer of premium 100% Arabica coffee, selling ground and roasted beans in 250gm-1kg sizes via DTC e-commerce and B2B quotes, with a related 2,000-acre Black Lion Tea estate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB), Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Coffee & Cacao Plantations (Coffee, Cocoa) (AFAGACAI)

Keywords

• Premium arabica coffee
• Ethiopian coffee beans
• Roasted coffee products
• Specialty coffee retail
• Single origin coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

Addis Ababa

HQ country

Ethiopia

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Coffee Product Sales: Revenue generated from selling roasted coffee beans and ground coffee products in various sizes (250gm, 500gm, 1kg). Products are sold as whole beans or ground coffee for various brewing styles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Black Lion Coffee roasts and packages premium 100% Ethiopian Arabica coffee, sold as whole beans or ground coffee in 250gm, 500gm, and 1kg sizes. Products are hand-picked at peak ripeness from the Ethiopian highlands and packed in one-way valve bags to lock in aroma and preserve freshness. The company also operates the Black Lion Tea sub-brand, which includes loose black teas supported by a 2,000-acre tea estate and processing factory in southwestern Ethiopia.

Product overview

Black Lion Coffee offers a focused portfolio of premium Ethiopian Arabica coffee products, available in two main formats: Ground Coffee (250gm, 500gm, 1kg sizes) and Roasted Beans (250gm, 500gm, 1kg sizes). All products feature 100% Arabica beans sourced from Ethiopian highlands, packed in one-way valve bags to preserve freshness. The company also operates a related sub-brand, Black Lion Tea, which produces loose black teas celebrated for bold aroma and distinctive flavour. The Black Lion Tea line includes a 2,000-acre tea estate and processing factory established in southwestern Ethiopia in 1995. Together, the coffee and tea products represent a family legacy dating back to 1891, built by the Bizenu family in Ethiopia's southern highlands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Lion Tea: Loose black teas known for bold aroma and rich flavour, one of Ethiopia's most admired tea names

Products and services

• 1KG Ground Coffee Black Lion Premium Coffee
• 500GM Ground Coffee Black Lion Premium Coffee Premium Ethiopian Arabica ground coffee packed in one-way valve bags to lock in aroma and preserve peak freshness; net weight 500gm. Sold to individual consumers via the company's e-commerce site and to wholesale buyers via quote-based ordering.
• 250GM Ground Coffee Black Lion Premium Coffee Premium Ethiopian Arabica ground coffee packed in one-way valve bags to lock in aroma and preserve peak freshness; net weight 250gm. Sold to individual consumers via the company's e-commerce site and to wholesale buyers via quote-based ordering.
• 250GM Roasted Bean Black Lion Premium Coffee Premium Ethiopian Arabica whole roasted beans, medium to dark roast profile, packed in one-way valve bags to lock in aroma and preserve peak freshness; net weight 250gm. Sold to individual consumers via the company's e-commerce site and to wholesale buyers via quote-based ordering.
• 500GM Roasted Bean Black Lion Premium Coffee Premium Ethiopian Arabica whole roasted beans, medium to dark roast profile, 100% Arabica, freshly roasted Ethiopian coffee, packed in one-way valve bags to lock in aroma and preserve peak freshness; net weight 500gm. Sold to individual consumers via the company's e-commerce site and to wholesale buyers via quote-based ordering.
• 1KG Roasted Beans Black Lion Premium Coffee Premium Ethiopian Arabica whole roasted beans, freshly roasted, packed in one-way valve bags to lock in aroma and preserve peak freshness; net weight 1Kg. Sold to individual consumers via the company's e-commerce site and to wholesale buyers via quote-based ordering.
• Black Lion Tea (Loose Black Tea) Loose black teas sold under the Black Lion Tea sub-brand, known for bold aroma and rich flavour, supported by a 2,000-acre tea estate and processing factory in southwestern Ethiopia. Marketed to consumers seeking premium Ethiopian teas.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union: Ethiopian cooperative union exporting premium washed and natural Yirgacheffe Arabica. Directly comparable as a fellow Ethiopia-based specialty coffee exporter serving international markets.
• Volcanica Coffee: Online specialty coffee retailer offering single-origin Ethiopian coffees. Comparable as a D2C-focused premium coffee brand competing for the same specialty consumer online.
• Sidamo Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union: Ethiopian cooperative producing and exporting Sidamo/Guji specialty Arabica. Comparable as a heritage Ethiopia-origin premium coffee supplier operating in the same single-origin category.
• Dilmah Tea: Vertically integrated single-origin tea brand from Sri Lanka with strong heritage positioning. Comparable as a family-led, vertically integrated premium single-origin beverage brand with a similar heritage and authenticity narrative.
• Kicking Horse Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster offering premium Arabica with strong D2C and retail presence. Comparable as a premium coffee CPG brand with similar product format and target consumer.

Broad incumbents

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Established US specialty coffee roaster with strong direct trade and single-origin positioning. Comparable as a premium roaster competing for the same specialty Arabica consumer, though operating at much larger scale.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty roaster focused on sustainable, single-origin coffee with strong educational and sustainability programs. Comparable in its specialty positioning and emphasis on transparency in origin.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium specialty coffee brand with strong D2C and retail presence. Comparable as a brand-led specialty coffee player, though at significantly greater scale and capital.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with deep single-origin sourcing relationships. Comparable in its emphasis on origin storytelling and direct trade premiums, though with broader geographic sourcing.
• Taylors of Harrogate: Heritage British coffee and tea brand with multi-generational history. Comparable as a long-heritage coffee and tea CPG brand operating at the intersection of both categories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-lion-coffee

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Lion Coffee