Coffee journey 1965

The combination of fertile soils, high altitude and suitable climate produces qualities that delight coffee connoisseurs throughout the world.

Konrad Werner Wille, a partner at Dallmayr, travelled to Ethiopia in 1965 and discovered these fine beans on what was at times a remarkably adventurous journey. He was the first person to bring them back to Germany. Today, Dallmayr Kaffee is under the leadership of his son Wolfgang Wille and has become the world’s biggest processor of Ethiopian washed Arabica. Dallmayr is therefore one of Ethiopia’s most important foreign trade partners.

Strong ties to the original home of coffee
Konrad Werner Wille has made coffee history. Some 50 years ago, the Dallmayr co-proprietor embarked on adventures through Ethiopia, where, according to legend, the original roots of coffee lie. There, in the fertile southern province of Sidamo, Dallmayr’s first coffee expert discovered beans of extraordinary quality. Unique images from the family’s photo album provide an impressive insight into this journey.

Pioneer on course for success
Some of the world’s best coffee varieties come from Ethiopia. Coffees such as Sidamo and Yirgacheffe are in demand throughout the world today. Konrad Werner Wille is largely responsible for the prominence of these high-grade Ethiopian coffee varieties. Before the Second World War, he imported the entire Ethiopian coffee harvest to Munich – seven sacks of coffee – on behalf of Dallmayr. Today, Dallmayr Kaffee is one of the world’s largest importers of Ethiopian washed Arabica, and coffees from Sidamo and Yirgacheffe form the basis of the company’s top blend, Dallmayr prodomo.