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"It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own neccessities but of their advantages."
Adam Smith 

Import Export Business

TOP 10 Ethiopia export destinations, commodities and every bit information about Ethiopia's Exports

This file provides a quarterly update of price levels for a wide range of goods and services in Addis Ababa.
Effects of exchange rate changes (Devaluation of Birr) on the economy.

Check out bds-ethiopia website.
The new and improved Ethiopia investment agency


Buffet Restaurant ( also known as All-You-Can-Eat)

Ethiopian usually present food in buffet during weddings, graduations or other family ceremonies. But we don't often see buffet restaurants.
What is a Buffet Restaurant?
1. Several varieties of food(Tibs, Key Wot, Kitfo, Alecha, Fruits, Juice, Cake....anything that you can think of) placed in a public area inside the restaurant.
2. Customer pay a fixed amount of money when they enter to the restaurant.
3. Customers are allowed to eat and drink what ever they want and as much as they want.
How to Run it?
1. Charge a fixed price: Customer will pay a fixed amount e.g 30 Birr when they enter into the restaurant
2. Take-home or to-go is not allowed
3. Refill food often.
4. The main obstacle that prevent people not to open Buffet restaurant is the few customers who will abuse the system.Usually the customers leave after eating but you may encounter few customers who stay longer, keep on eating and do not leave the restaurant.  In this case, you may need to introduce a time limit. For example 2 hours maximum. You need some one who will monitor these kind of people.
If you are interested in this business, check out the websites of most popular buffet companies in the US:
Old Country Buffet, Country Buffet, and HomeTown Buffet and learn about the business. If you have questions, send us an email.


Food By the Gram 
This is similar to the buffet restaurant scenario except people pay by the weight of the food they pick.
1. You will provide all kind of food( Tibs, Key Wot, Kitfo, Fruits, Juice, Cake, Soft Drinks....anything that you can think of)  and put in a public place inside the restaurant. But here you should have food area and eating area.
2. Provide containers and customer will use that to pick food, measure the weight and take the food.

3. Food Scale (የምግብ ሚዛን)
Then customers will bring the container and put is on the scale. Then you charge them based on your price/gram rate. Most of the time the digital scales can be calibrated/set to put the price information and the scale will tell you the total money.

4. Provide an eating area which is separate from the food area.
If you have questions, send us an email.