Pictured: Efrem Fesaha, CEO of Renton-based Boon Boona Coffee
Every year, Key to Change presents the Community Achievement Award at its Spring Salon Fundraiser. In recognition of his outstanding service, Key to Change’s Board of Directors has selected Efrem Fesaha, the visionary leader behind Renton-based Boon Boona Coffee, whose work continues to make our community more vibrant and equitable.
Previous award recipients include LeAnne Moss (2025), executive director of the Renton Regional Community Foundation; Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange (2024), University of Washington Tacoma’s chancellor; and Vivian Phillips (2023), founder & board president of Arte Noir and Seattle Arts Commissioner.
Washington State Governor, Bob Ferguson, will offer Efrem his congratulations at the Spring Salon VIP Reception. Join us on Sunday, March 29 at Benaroya Hall as Efrem and Boon Boona Coffee receive their 2026 Community Achievement Award.
About Efrem Fesaha, CEO & Founder of Boon Boona Coffee
Efrem moved to West Seattle at five years old, where his upbringing was shaped both by his Eritrean roots and the Pacific Northwest’s evolving culture. He earned his B.A. in Sociology from Washington State University, and completed the Minority Business Executive Program and Ascend Program certifications from University of Washington.
After a trip to Asmara, Eritrea, Efrem’s deep appreciation for East African coffee culture inspired him to found Boon Boona Coffee. With nearly two decades of financial analysis, he has thoughtfully led his business with intention, creating a lasting impact in the East African and broader communities in Seattle and South King County.
About Boon Boona Coffee
“Boon” means coffee in Eritrea while “boona” means coffee in Ethiopia. The word “coffee” traces back to Kaffa, a region in Ethiopia considered the birthplace of arabica, the dominant species of coffee plant. Boon Boona, in essence, means “coffee” in three languages.
Efrem founded Boon Boona Coffee in 2012 as an exclusively African-sourcing roaster with a focus on supporting women-owned growers. The award-winning business creates gathering spaces for friends and family, and has social-impact woven into its very mission. Each order imparts the care with which Efrem’s family performed the traditional coffee ceremony, a part of daily life in Eritrean and Ethiopian households.
Boon Boona has grown to five locations: Renton – Flagship, Redmond – Microsoft Campus, Seattle – Capitol Hill, Seattle – University of Washington Book Store, and Seattle Waterfront – Overlook Walk.
