Boon Boona Coffee

Curator's Notes

Boon Boona founder Efrem Fesaha grew up in Seattle surrounded by the city's grab-and-go coffee culture, but at home his Eritrean family performed the traditional coffee ceremony: pan-roasting beans over a fire, grinding them by hand, serving strong dark brew from a clay jebena pot. A trip back to Asmara brought it all into focus, and Boon Boona was born. The roaster sources exclusively from Africa, with a particular focus on women-owned farms and underserved growing regions, directing a larger share of profits back to the growers themselves. Where else are you going to find coffee from Cameroon? Efrem's Seattle and Renton cafes are warm, art-filled spaces that honor coffee's birthplace and welcome everyone to the table. In the cup, expect some of the most expressive, terroir-driven African coffees you'll find anywhere.

From the Roaster

The story of Boon Boona starts with one man and connects two cultures, worlds apart. Our founder and CEO, Efrem Fesaha, grew up in Seattle. While the city’s grab-and-go coffee culture was all around, his Eritrean family performed the traditional coffee ceremony that is part of daily life in Eritrean and Ethiopian households. After a trip to Asmara, Eritrea, his love for East African coffee culture truly took root. Inspired by the slower pace and welcoming community of Eritrean cafes filled with the fragrance of roasting beans, Efrem returned to Seattle to share the unique flavors and traditions of East Africa, where coffee is not just a drink–it’s a daily pause, and a chance to gather with friends and family. Boon Boona sources coffee beans exclusively from Africa, a market full of unique challenges and transformative opportunities. We believe that coffee is a catalyst for shared prosperity. Our intentional approach allows us to source some of the best coffee from Africa, while directing a larger share of profits to individual growers and bolstering the African coffee industry as a whole. We focus on supporting woman-owned growers, and seek out new paths into underserved African coffee-growing regions. In our cafes, we take care in creating an inclusive space for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized individuals. Thank you for becoming part of our community and sharing the love with African coffee growers.