Ato Solomon Worku, the fouder of SMS PLC and the owner of the Gola Solomon Worku Processing station, was born in Southern Amhara Semen Shewa region in 1956. Ato Solomon grew up in the region where coffee is only consumed, not produced. After studying accounting and business, Solomon started to import coffee machinery, like: Agard pulperes, hulling machines, and generators. There his love for coffee grew. And it didn’t take long before Solomon took an interest in coffee production and the export business. Solomon began his coffee production career in 1995.
Just three years later Solomon established the exporting company SMS PLC in 1998, and has been exporting exceptional quality coffee throughout the world. Today, he has several washing stations in coffee producing areas: Komato, Korate, Gola, and Koke. Besides the washing stations, he also owns two drying mills, one in Dilla and the other in Kebado. Solomon partnered with Trabocca in 2005, just when Menno Simons, Trabocca’s founder, started importing coffees from Guji.
Mr. Solomon was among the first people to introduce the concept of specialty in the Ethiopian coffee production. Even before the ECX (Ethiopian Commodity Exchange) came into place, in 2008, Solomon was highly engaged in the production of specialty coffee and was certified Organic, Rainforest Alliance, and Café practice with the help of Trabocca. Solomon supplied superb coffees from Korate and Koke to Trabocca. After the ECX opened again, Solomon and Trabocca expanded supply chains and began sourcing coffee from specific regions in Gedeo, like Adado, Gedeb (Worka and Banko Gotiti), different locations in Kochere, Bensa, and Bona zuria in Sidamo. Solomon is developing his stations every year and gearing towards superior quality and consistency.
Solomon uses a highly controlled quality management system at all his stations. He separates lots based on washing tanks (for washed) and drying beds (for naturals). Each lot is cupped, analyzed, and registered by quality and sensory traits. Under the name of his company, he has taken his social responsibility to heart and supported communities in Dara, Gedeo, Dilla Zuria, and Yirgacheffe. Solomon helps farmers by supplying new seedlings, building local offices, and giving them training on better production management and quality improvements.
