The Kayon Mountain Coffee Farm, owned by Ismael Hassen Aredo and his family since 2012, spans 500 hectares in Ethiopia's Guji zone. Of this, 300 hectares are dedicated to coffee. The farm is located 510 kilometres south of Addis Ababa and straddles the villages of Taro and Sewana in the Oromia region. Ismael employs 25 full-time workers and 300 seasonal staff, offering free transport and financial aid to support local schools and administration buildings.
To retain workers, the farm competes with a nearby mining village, paying higher wages to seasonal pickers. Kayon Mountain also has a nursery and uses shade trees to protect the coffee and create natural compost for fertilisation.
The farm produces both Natural and Washed coffee, with Ismael taking great care in managing every stage of production, from planting to processing.