Community Stories

From Ethiopia to London: Golden Ethiopian Coffee Roasters' incredible journey

Grow London Local

Posted: Tue 18th Nov 2025

From refugee to successful entrepreneur, Hagos Guesh's personal and professional journey has been incredible.

Hagos is the founder of Golden Coffee Roasters, a small-batch, artisan coffee business based in Enfield.

Find out how his business celebrates Ethiopian culture and how Grow London Local has helped him access the right tools and support to develop and thrive in London.

Tell us about yourself and your business.

I'm Hagos, founder of Golden Ethiopian Coffee Roasters. I hand-roast high-quality Ethiopian coffee beans to bring out their unique flavours and freshness. Every batch is roasted to order, to make sure our customers enjoy coffee at its peak.

My business celebrates culture, community and quality, and I plan to donate 5% of the annual net profit to support women affected by gender-based violence in Tigray, Ethiopia.

What inspired you to launch your business – and why coffee?

My love for coffee began in my childhood in Tigray. I grew up surrounded by the rich aroma of freshly roasted beans and the warmth of traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremonies.

Drinking coffee wasn't just a habit – it was part of our daily life, culture and identity.

After arriving in the UK, I wanted to stay connected to my roots, and roasting coffee became a way to do that.

That deep connection and lifelong passion inspired me to launch Golden Ethiopian Coffee Roasters to share the taste, story and culture of Ethiopian coffee with others.

What challenges have you faced along the way?

Starting my business as a newly arrived refugee was incredibly challenging. Once I received refugee status and a permit to work, I had the passion and vision but no capital.

I used savings from short-term jobs and small loans from supportive friends and family to buy a roaster, packaging equipment and beans. That allowed me to begin roasting in micro-batches.

A two-month specialty barista traineeship at Well Grounded and a one-month placement at Caravan Coffee Roasters helped me gain professional knowledge and practical experience in processing methods, flavour profiling and industry standards.

These experiences equipped me with strong technical skills and a solid understanding of customer care, health and safety and the specialty coffee industry.

Despite this progress, I still face key challenges – limited funding to scale operations, securing a permanent space, becoming more visible online and accessing authentic Ethiopian equipment to showcase the culture at events.

How did you discover Grow London Local and what impact has it had?

I discovered Grow London Local through a Google search while looking for support for my small business. Since then, the experience has been incredible.

My Business Support Manager, Marie-Francoise Baker Madec, has truly motivated me to pursue my passion. She provided me with a full action plan that helped me register as a sole trader, build my website and create a business plan.

Her guidance has been a key part of my journey, giving me the structure, clarity and confidence to move forward with the business. She later referred me to Launch It, who now provide me with a rented workspace for my business.

The Coffee Friday networking events have also been a great way to connect with other entrepreneurs and learn from the experiences they share. It's inspiring and reassuring to connect with people on similar journeys.

What's next for your business?

While I've made significant progress in building Golden Ethiopian Coffee Roasters, I continue to face several challenges that limit my business' full potential.

My next step is to secure funding to scale operations, acquire essential equipment and set up a permanent space.

I also want to strengthen my marketing and visibility by building my presence on social media and digital platforms, as well as secure trading spaces in outdoor or street markets.

What has been your biggest learning curve so far?

Adapting to a completely new culture and business environment while rebuilding my life from scratch.

Alongside developing my coffee roasting and barista skills, I've had to learn about finance, marketing and customer service.

Balancing passion with the practical challenges of running a business has been a huge lesson for me.

What do you love about being your own boss?

I love that I can now pursue my lifelong passion for coffee professionally.

Being my own boss allows me to combine traditional Ethiopian coffee craftsmanship with modern roasting techniques, share my culture and create something meaningful that also gives back to the community.

What advice would you give other small business owners?

Stay resilient, start small and make use of the support available.

Don't be afraid to reach out for guidance – programmes like Grow London Local can provide tailored guidance and encouragement. Building a business isn't easy, but with patience and consistency, progress is always possible.

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