China Daily | Technology as Wings: BGI Empowers Ethiopian Coffee to Expand into the Chinese Market

Editor’s Note

On June 14, 2025, China Daily published coverage of the China–Africa Economic and Trade Expo, reporting on BGI’s active participation in the development of Ethiopia’s coffee industry. By leveraging genetic technologies, BGI helps ensure the quality of Ethiopian coffee products while vigorously expanding domestic sales channels in China.

BGI Group is a Shenzhen-based life science and genomics research organization. It has established cooperation with industry stakeholders in Ethiopia in the field of quality control for locally grown coffee beans.

“We use genetic sequencing technology to conduct species DNA identification for Ethiopian coffee beans, ensuring 100% purity and quality of Arabica beans, and safeguarding food quality and safety from the source,” said Chen Songheng, General Manager of BGI Group for the Africa region.

In the domestic market, BGI has partnered with more than 30 coffee shops across regions including Guangdong and Jiangsu. According to reports, within three months of launching its coffee products in September last year, nearly 10 tons of coffee beans were processed and sold.

Reproduced from China Daily

Guided by the philosophy of “Harmony between Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, and Coexistence of All Life,” BGI Bioverse leverages BGI Group’s strengths in multi-omics big data platforms to innovate in whole-genome design breeding, gene editing, and synthetic biology. By rapidly and precisely cultivating next-generation agricultural varieties and agricultural microbial agents, and integrating “sand membrane” technology, BGI Bioverse is creating new carriers for green ecology and agricultural cultivation, promoting the coordinated development of “Heaven–Earth–Life.”