A community space where the world discovers Ethiopian coffee culture and learns from the birthplace of coffee.
Common Grounds bridges the gap between coffee origins and the global market. We are a coffee education and trade facilitation platform dedicated to educating consumers, supporting producers, and enabling transparent transactions across the supply chain.
We combine certified Q Grader expertise with high-end digital marketing and impact entrepreneurship to create a comprehensive ecosystem. Our integrated approach includes professional coffee education, direct producer support, and immersive digital storytelling all rooted in our central coffee lab in Addis Ababa.
We believe in democratizing coffee knowledge and amplifying the voices of origin communities. By transforming how the world experiences and sources coffee, we're creating a more equitable and transparent global ecosystem.
Who We Are
Upcoming Courses
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Q Grader Course
Nov 2.2026 (6 days)
A rigorous 6-day program designed to train and certify coffee professionals in evaluating coffee quality based on SCA standards.
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CVA Course
Nov 13 (3 days)
Through guided practice, cupping sessions, discussions, and structured sensory exercises, you will learn how to apply the updated CVA tools and elevate their sensory evaluation skills.
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SCA Green & Sensory Combo
Nov 18.2026 (4 days - Foundation)
Through interactive learning, explore the journey of coffee from farm to market, including production, processing, grading, storage, trade, and basic quality evaluation.
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Barista Workshop
Coming Soon
Learn how to set a grinder, prepare quality espresso, steam & texture milk, & practice basic latte art.
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SCA Brewing Course
Coming Soon
This 8-hour practical course focuses on brewing methods, recipe creation, and sensory evaluation, helping participants achieve consistent and high-quality results.
A Hub Built on Common Ground
In our first year, Common Grounds brought internationally recognized SCA and Q Grader training to origin—putting equity, access, and practical market linkage at the forefront of African specialty coffee. From 11 cohorts to regional outreach across 4 producing nations, this report documents the milestones, learners, and partners who sat at our cupping tables.
- First in Ethiopia: Delivered Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) for Cuppers led by an Ethiopian instructor.
- From Commodity to Brand: Designed and ran our proprietary Green Coffee Marketing course equipping producers and exporters with direct buyer outreach frameworks.
- Collaborative Ecosystem: Lab hosting for AFCA's international jury cuppings and community-led partnership with The Chain Collaborative.