Tseday Asrat is an Ethiopian entrepreneur transforming the coffee industry into a modern, lifestyle-driven sector through innovation, growth, and leadership.
As co-founder of Kaldi’s Coffee, she has built a brand that goes beyond serving coffee to shaping how urban consumers experience it. With over 30 branches across Addis Ababa and beyond, Kaldi’s Coffee stands as a leading example of business growth, innovation, and African entrepreneurship.
Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Tseday Asrat’s journey into business was unconventional. After missing out on university admission, she chose a different path, entering the modelling industry. This experience exposed her to fashion trends, customer preferences, and brand presentation, laying the foundation for her future ventures.
At the age of 23, Asrat launched her first business, a boutique named Seasonal Style. The store quickly gained popularity due to its high-quality, trendy fashion imports. Demonstrating early business acumen, she expanded to a second branch within six months.
However, her progress was disrupted when urban development led to the closure of both boutiques, forcing her to pivot and rethink her entrepreneurial direction.
The Birth of Kaldi’s Coffee
In 2005, Tseday Asrat co-founded Kaldi’s Coffee alongside Elias Ketema. What started as a strategic pivot soon evolved into one of Ethiopia’s most recognisable coffee brands. While Ethiopia is globally known as the birthplace of coffee, at the time, modern café culture was underdeveloped.
Tseday identified key gaps in the market:
Coffee consumption lacked a branded experience
Service and quality were not standardised
Scalable coffee chains were largely absent
She leveraged this opportunity to build a structured, customer-focused coffee business that combined quality, consistency, and brand identity.
Today, Kaldi’s Coffee is defined by its commitment to high-quality, locally sourced Ethiopian coffee, thoughtfully designed modern café spaces, and an expanding presence across urban centres. The brand has elevated everyday coffee consumption into a refined lifestyle experience.
Its menu reflects evolving consumer preferences, offering freshly brewed Ethiopian coffee, pastries and baked goods, light meals, and packaged roasted coffee for retail. This strategic product diversification has strengthened Kaldi’s market position while deepening customer loyalty.
Tseday Asrat’s entrepreneurial vision extends beyond the coffee sector. She has built a multi-industry business portfolio that enhances both value creation and supply chain control.
Through Lori Agro Industry, she operates in the agricultural and manufacturing space, focusing on: Sesame seed processing (de-hulled and roasted for export), Production of tahini, halwa, and other sesame-based products, grain trading and agro-processing and Importation of agrochemicals and industrial supplies.
Her expansion into hospitality includes Gusto Restaurants and Gursha Restaurant in Dubai, marking her entry into international markets.
Business Strategy and Growth Model
Tseday Asrat’s success is rooted in a clear and disciplined growth strategy:
Market Gap Identification: Recognising underserved opportunities in coffee and agriculture
Vertical Integration: Controlling supply chains to ensure quality and consistency
Brand Positioning: Elevating coffee into a lifestyle experience
Scalable Expansion: Growing through multiple branches and structured systems
Her approach reflects a deep understanding of both local markets and global business dynamics.
Through Kaldi’s Coffee, Tseday Asrat has standardised café service and customer experience, created a scalable coffee chain model, elevated the perception of locally sourced Ethiopian coffee and contributed to the growth of the service and hospitality sectors.
Challenges and Resilience
Like many entrepreneurs, Tseday faced major setbacks, including the closure of her first business. Instead of retreating, she used the experience to pivot into a new industry.
She also addressed challenges such as:
Lessons for African Women Entrepreneurs
Inconsistent supply chains, which she solved through agro-processing ventures. Limited skilled workforce, addressed through structured training and market scepticism, which she overcame through consistent quality and brand trust.
Tseday Asrat’s journey offers practical lessons for women across Africa:
Embrace alternative paths: Success is not limited to formal education
Turn setbacks into opportunities: Challenges can lead to stronger ventures
Think long-term: Build systems that support growth and scalability
Diversify strategically: Expand into sectors that strengthen your core business
Lead with purpose and discipline: Consistency drives results
Tseday Asrat represents a new generation of African entrepreneurs driving innovation, business growth, and industry transformation. From a small boutique to a multi-sector empire, her journey reflects the power of vision, resilience, and strategic thinking.
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