Where Coffee Began
So the legend goes... a young goatherd named Kaldi, tending his flock in the highlands of Kaffa, noticed his goats dancing after nibbling red berries from a wild bush. Curious, he tried them himself and felt a sudden spark of energy. Those berries, of course, were coffee and from that moment, a global ritual was born. Fast forward a thousand years, and we found ourselves walking those same hills, invited by Junk Drawer and La Colombe to produce a stills campaign that traced coffee back to its sacred roots.
It was an incredible opportunity to honour not just a beverage, but a legacy one that lives in every pour-over, espresso, and cold brew, yet starts with hands in the soil, berries on the branch, and generations of knowledge. Ethiopia as we quickly learned doesn’t just grow coffee. It lives it. From the slow, deliberate ceremony in rural homes to the collective pride in its heritage, coffee is more than a crop. It’s a cultural heartbeat.
“A great story doesn’t just capture attention; it creates connection.”
The journey wasn’t without its curveballs. Ethiopia’s landscapes are as jaw-dropping as they are logistically wild power cuts mid-call, shifting schedules, no signal, and the kind of infrastructure that keeps you on your toes. We arrived travel-weary and sleep-deprived, spending the first few days just finding rhythm and flow. But with Mary-Beth Anderson and Margarette Russo from Junk Drawer managing logistics and Pachamama helping to ground the production, things began to click.
One “easy hike” turned into a full-on mountain mission, with crew hauling gear and caffeine up steep, rocky trails. But even that became a highlight, a sweaty, laughter-filled reminder of how far good energy and teamwork can take you. Through it all, we were held up by a community whose hospitality was unfailing. There’s a kind of strength and warmth in Ethiopian culture that humbles you, people with so little, yet so much joy, generosity, and dignity. Time and again, we were welcomed with smiles, coffee, and stories.
