April 2026: Podium Gold. Cafe Kreyol

Country: Ethiopia
Varietals: Heirloom Ethiopian, JARC 74112
Process: Natural
Producer: Robel Kidane
Elevation: 2,500 MASL
Tasting Notes: Jasmine, bergamot, blueberry

Your coffee:

Robel Kidane is an Ethiopian coffee producer and exporter who works closely with smallholder farmers in southern Ethiopia, including the highland community of Lulo in the Sidama region. Through his network of producers and washing stations, Robel helps bring exceptional Ethiopian coffees to specialty roasters around the world while maintaining strong traceability and quality control throughout the supply chain.

Raised in Ethiopia and deeply connected to the country’s coffee heritage, Robel has dedicated his career to supporting farmers in producing high-quality specialty lots that showcase the distinctive terroir of the Sidama highlands. The Lulo area, where Café Kreyol sources its coffee through Robel, is known for its high elevations, fertile soils, and ideal climate for slow cherry maturation, factors that contribute to the vibrant acidity and complex aromatics Ethiopian coffees are famous for.

Through partnerships like this, Café Kreyol is able to share outstanding coffees from Lulo that reflect both the land and the people who cultivate them.

Your roaster:

Cafe Kreyol is an award-winning specialty coffee roasting company founded by Joseph Stazzone and built on the belief that great coffee begins with strong relationships at origin. The company focuses on direct trade partnerships with smallholder farmers and producer groups around the world, sourcing exceptional coffees while helping build sustainable and thriving farming communities.

Cafe Kreyol’s work began in Haiti, where the company developed long-term relationships with coffee producers in the mountains of the southeast. What started as a mission to support Haitian farmers has since expanded into a global network of producing partners across Latin America and Africa.

The company collaborates with the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) as post-harvest process educators and serves on the Cup of Excellence education committee, helping design new frameworks for evaluating coffee quality.

Cafe Kreyol was honored as Macro Roaster of the Year in 2023 by Roast Magazine, reflecting its commitment to quality, innovation, and meaningful partnerships throughout the global coffee supply chain.