It’s no secret that Ethiopia produces bucketloads of coffee. And a top global coffee producer generates an enormous amount of coffee waste. But for every two kilos picked, a kilo of husks gets discarded – choking landfills with 280,000 tons of waste annually. Unfortunately, these castoffs contaminate soil and air, contributing to harmful landfill gas emissions, respiratory ills and even digestive issuesin livestock.
However, there is hope. Amidst this challenging landscape, two visionary individuals, HoheyatBerhanu and Yohannes Haile, have emerged as beacons of hope, ushering in a brighter future for sustainable coffee production in Ethiopia.
Entrepreneurs like Hoheyat and Yohannes are working to give new life to this agricultural residue by transforming these husks into profitable social enterprises.
CEO Hoheyat and Operations Manager Yohannesfounded Husky Energy and Technology in 2021 to develop technologies that convert coffee husks into biofuel. The company developed an innovative model focusing on upcycling coffee waste to produce high-value solid fuels in the form of pellets and briquettes—addressing the challenges of waste, energy poverty, and indoor pollution plaguing Ethiopia.
Husky diligently harvests hectares of coffee husks, skillfully transforming this once discarded waste into neat and efficient pellets and briquettes. These solid fuels provide affordable and sustainable alternatives to the harmful home hearths prevalent in off-grid areas.
Ethiopians, Yohannes says, lack access to clean, affordable energy.He claims over 90 percent ofthe population rely on biomass for cooking, resulting in extensive deforestation.
“Indoor pollution kills 50,000 Ethiopians annually, mostly women shouldering disproportionate responsibility,” he explained. “Deaths are caused by inhaling smoke from burning wood indoors.”
To solve this, Husky has engineered a machine that converts coffee husks and sawdust into clean, compressed and smokeless pellets and briquettes. These fuel alternatives, easily used with efficient pellet stoves, offer local communities a sustainable solution for household cooking needs.
Husky actively collaborates with women entrepreneurs, partnering with organizations like ‘Women in Self-Employment’ and an NGO to empower 250 women engaged in the small coffee and breakfast businesses.
“We aim to deliver clean, affordable, and healthy cooking solutions for a healthier, more sustainable Ethiopia,” Yohannes affirmed.
One kilogram of pellets burns for four hours versus two hours for charcoal—translating to consumer savings. This value proposition also helps drive the transition to clean energy.
Though still an early-stage startup, Husky is rapidly growing its market reach. Participating in events like holiday bazaars, the company showcases its clean products and stoves to generate new sales and brand awareness. It also aims to invest in manufacturing machineries and equipment to enhance efficiency scale-up production and reduce costs.
“As we boost production capacity, our target customer base expands—with huge market awaiting us,” remarked Yohannes.
Husky also contributes to environmental sustainability. As the world’s third-largest charcoal producer, Ethiopia faces the peril of dangerous deforestation driven by the demand for wood-based fuels. However, by upcycling coffee waste, the company aims to address this issue by curbing emissions, promoting a circular economy model, and reducing reliance on wood.
While rapid growth and impact continue, Husky faces challenges common to startups, such as limited production capabilities and brand recognition plus financial constraints requiring attention.However, the company remains optimistic—focusing on scaling up, diversifying offerings and leveraging online presence to boost visibility and markets.
A contender for the 2023 Global Startup Awards Africa’s “Best Newcomer”, Husky is exploring investment opportunities, expanded products and social media to further its operation.
In 2021, the local startup emerged victorious in two prestigious competitions: the Total Energies Start-Upper Challenge, where they were awarded the title of ‘Best Business Creation Project,’ and the Bruh Business Idea Competition organized by the Ministry of Labor and Skills, MasterCard Foundation, and Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI).
