About Us

🌿 Our Story: The Heart of Ambray

I spent more than a decade immersed in the world of finance, yet a quiet longing always tugged at my heart — a pull toward the warmth and simplicity of my earliest memories in Ethiopia: the birthplace of coffee and the birthplace of my passion.

I learned to roast coffee the traditional way at the age of ten, perched next to my grandmother by the open fire. On Friday afternoons, we would roast enough beans to last the weekend — a ritual that filled our home with rich aromas and a sense of comfort that has never left me. With a simple pan and an open flame, she taught me patience and care for each bean. With a mortar and pestle, I learned to grind by hand — feeling every crack and release of the precious oils within.

Coffee in our household wasn’t just a drink — it was an event, a daily ceremony where life unfolded slowly. Twice a day, family and friends would gather around the hearth. Stories were shared, news debated, laughter bubbled up naturally. For us kids, it was an unspoken lesson: coffee brings people together. We’d sit quietly, nibbling snacks served alongside the tiny, elegant 3-ounce cups — each brew poured three times in succession: Abol, Bereka, Jeba — first, second, and last — the final cup mellow enough for us children to sip without guilt.

On special occasions, fragrant incense would be burned elevating the experience to something almost sacred. Every step of the ceremony — from roasting the beans o, to grinding, to gently brewing and serving — was done with intention. It was never rushed; instead, it was a slow, mindful ritual that reminded everyone to pause, be present, and savor not just the coffee, but the company and the moment itself.

This simple ritual instilled in me not just a love for coffee, but for what it represents: community, conversation, and intention.

So, after years in the corporate grind, I’m returning to my roots — blending craft, memory, and passion into something tangible. Ambray is my homage to the matriarch of our family — my grandmother — who inspired so much of who I am today. Her name was a gentle but powerful banner: a reminder that we belong to each other. She was the heart of our household: joyful, selfless, quick to laugh at herself, generous with her blessings. Whenever one of us did something worth celebrating, she’d beam and say: “Of course you’re an Ambray! You make Ambray proud!”

This is what I hope every cup of our coffee carries forward: her warmth, her humor, her grace — and the spirit of sharing that turns every gathering into a family gathering.

Ambray Coffee is my way of inviting you in. From my grandmother’s fire to your cup — welcome to the family.

H. Redda (founder Ambray Coffee Roasters)