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On the remote island of Whalsay, part of the Shetland archipelago, locals now have access to a rather unique offering in one of their many honesty boxes: hand-roasted Ethiopian coffee. This small community of around 1,000 residents is perhaps better known for its eggs, baked goods, and homemade pies sold informally through these unattended stalls. However, Netsanet Sori—known locally as Netsi—has introduced a taste of her Ethiopian heritage by providing freshly roasted coffee beans to the islanders.
Netsi moved to Whalsay in October 2025 after spending nearly a decade in nearby Orkney. She grew up on a family coffee farm in rural Ethiopia, where coffee holds deep cultural significance and is central to daily life. Having been raised by her grandmother and great-grandmother after losing her mother at a young age, Netsi says that her upbringing was very different from life in Scotland. Since relocating, she has maintained a connection to her roots by importing coffee beans from the family farm and carefully hand roasting them on the island, sharing that tradition with her children.
The Ethiopian coffee ceremony, which Netsi describes, is much more than just a drink—it is a social occasion that brings community members together, primarily women, to share news, stories, and companionship. “Neighbours and villagers gather once or twice in a day to share information, good news or bad news, and love,” she explains. “It’s also about community belonging. If you make a coffee, you can’t drink it alone. You have to share what you have and help others.” Traditionally, green coffee beans arrive ready to be cleaned and roasted slowly in a pan. The roasting requires constant shaking to ensure even cooking, turning the beans a rich brown as they release oils, signaling quality.
Netsi initially roasted coffee for friends and charity while living in Orkney but decided to launch a small business after moving to Whalsay. Recognizing that no one else was providing such a service locally, she felt confident in filling that niche. “After a little research, I realised that nobody else is roasting coffee like this in Shetland,” she said. “So, I thought I can do it, and it’s worked brilliantly. People seem to really like it.” Ingrid Sutherland, a Whalsay resident, praised the introduction of the coffee honesty box, saying, “I’m a bit of a coffee drinker, I love a good cup of coffee in the morning… Real coffee, not instant, so I was just blown away with how cool it is.” She added that it was convenient to have a locally sourced coffee option without leaving the island, noting, “It’s fantastic to have a coffee box here.
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