Using our combined experience in the Ethiopian sesame industry and the world tahini industry – we have opened a state-of-the-art tahini processing factory in the home of the world’s best sesame farms, enabling us to purchase sesame directly from the farmers. This important detail not only allows for us to ensure fair trade and fair workers rights, but also enables us to hand pick exactly what sesame with which we will work- a very unique advantage. This advantage can be noticed in the taste and texture of our tahini.
In less than a decade, Ethiopia jumped from being a minor producer of sesame to one of the top five sesame producers in the world. Currently, Ethiopia is the 4th largest exporter of sesame globally. This export vies with gold and coffee for the largest revenue producing exports for Ethiopia. The country currently supplies 14% of the global market for raw seeds.
In Humera, a small town in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, sesame seeds are the main crop. The Humera Sesame Seeds are one of the most sought after sesame seed in the world due to its white color and favorable aroma. This area of Ethiopia provides the perfect conditions for growing the seed which is high in oil content, and contains an appetizing flavor. The secondary sesame seed produced within the country is known as the Welega Sesame, primarily harvested for its high oil content.
Sesame seeds are a very difficult crop to grow. They’re a tall, lanky plant that can grow between 20 and 60 inches in height. Once ripe, the capsules split open, revealing the seeds. This process coined the phrase “open sesame”. The plant is extremely sensitive due to its weight, and it requires significant manual labor in order to harvest it.
