An Epic Family Business Empire
A visit to Meskel Square usually entails a car wash at the parking lot with seasoned veterans who peddle cigarettes and chewing gum and also serve as shoeshines. I happened to park right in front of a chocolatier’s shop named Adey, and ventured to go inside. I had noticed the shop on a few occasions but never went in.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a charming young woman who showed me what the shop had to offer. Displayed in a glass counter was an assortment of chocolate bonbons, bars, and more, all made with a range of natural flavors. The very first row included a range of alcohol-infused chocolate bonbons, namely Jägermeister, Amaretto, Greek Brandy, Cognac, and Rum. In the case of the cognac, the actual liquid was filled inside the core of the chocolate, while the rest were ‘ganaches’ — chocolate infused with alcohol.
On top of the counter, there are pre-packed pouches with chocolate-coated almonds, assorted chocolate truffles, and even roasted coffee beans that have been coated in layers of chocolate. The most interesting types, however, are those in the lower rows of the display case, namely pistachio, lime cheesecake, hazelnut, cashew, and so much more.
As a chocolate enthusiast with exposure to a range of chocolate products, I was overwhelmed with the variety and high quality of the products being made at Adey. The organized display, stylish consistency, and caliber of presentation spoke volumes about the owners and producers of the chocolates. Hemen Ashenafi, the head chocolatier and partner who co-owns the shop, explained that they had gone through an extensive period of studying the art and science of crafting high-caliber chocolate confections and went through exhausting preparations to launch and run the business.
The shop also houses an adjoining laboratory and kitchen where all the chocolate is crafted in a temperature-controlled, professionally equipped space complete with tempering machines, polycarbonate molds, and other specialized tools. What sets Adey apart is not only the precision of the process, but the chocolate itself: produced from cocoa sourced from across Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, Togo, and Uganda. They use proprietary blends of high-quality couverture developed exclusively for Adey through close collaborations with co-producing partners.
In contrast to businesses that pursue trading mass-market brands like Ferrero Rocher, Snickers, and KitKat, or others that produce inferior-quality chocolate using cocoa powder, palm oil, and vegetable fats, Adey pursues a far more ambitious path: crafting its own chocolate products with creativity and an uncompromising commitment to quality, while keeping its eyes on the promise of cocoa cultivation in Southern Ethiopia.
I wouldn’t be surprised to come across a brand like Adey tucked away on the streets of Brussels or Paris, where the craft of high-end chocolaterie is part of everyday life. But to find one at Meskel Square with 24-year-old Hemen offering expert, insider knowledge in a field as uncharted and exotic as fine chocolate-making was nothing short of extraordinary. The authenticity of the product and the novelty of the business, grounded in deep subject-matter expertise and an uncompromising standard of professionalism, struck me as a rare and refreshing presence in our local business landscape. In fact, the whole enterprise represented an incredibly bold new approach in a sector that supposedly seems off limits to sub-Saharan Africa and the exclusive specialty in the developed world.
Further conversations put things into perspective when I learned that Adey was founded and operated by Hemen and other third-generation descendants of the legendary hotelier Bekele Molla, a towering figure who nearly a century ago built a hotel and resort empire that spanned the breadth and width of Imperial Ethiopia.
A down-to-earth and pragmatic businessman, Bekele started from scratch in a sector that was virtually unknown in the country at the time. He was a visionary and pioneer whose business acumen set him apart. With a multi-pronged approach, he scaled success into a national brand, effectively introducing the concept of a hotel chain long before the term ever entered common business vocabulary in Ethiopia — or even his own. Bekele Molla remains an extraordinary example of homegrown entrepreneurial genius.
Bekele’s biography is as dramatic, monumental, and remarkable as the business empire he built. Born into a family of middle-class nobility, his father, Basha Molla Banjaw, served the legendary Adwa war hero Balcha Safo (Gen.) Aka Aba Nefso, who held the post of defense minister from the reign of Emperor Menelik II through Emperor Haile Selassie.
Bekele’s early life was shaped by the turbulence of the Second Italian Invasion, his father’s imprisonment and exile during the war, and his parents’ separation — all of which forged his iron will, perseverance, and fiercely independent mindset from a young age. This is in tandem with the personality trait and distinguishing feature of all outstanding entrepreneurs: they went through hell and high water to reach where they are. Bekele Molla is a quintessential example of such die-hard pioneers and business moguls who left their indelible marks on the entrepreneurial landscape.
A formative visit to Harar and exposure to the Buffet de la Gare restaurants along the Addis Ababa–Dire Dawa–Djibouti railway inspired him to create a chain eatery and an overnight stopover of his own along the legendary Chemin de Fer railway trail. Resourceful and ambitious, Bekele launched his first modest bed-and-breakfast in the small, unassuming town of Mojo, a place close to his heart. There, he deployed a savvy tactic: inviting the Chef de Train, a senior official on the Ethio-Djibouti railway, to regularly dine for free in his humble B&B motel.
As a result, passengers would naturally follow suit, turning his eatery into a popular stop. A very clever and shrewd business tactic that rewarded him in leaps and bounds, as even expats who used to dine at the foreign-owned Buffet De Lagare flocked to his restaurant, following trainloads of hungry and exhausted passengers whom he accepted with open arms. Everything went as planned, but it also needed ongoing creative energy, as well as iron will and discipline. In a striking similarity to his granddaughter Hemen, who can be seen in her white hair net, apron, and gloves, Bekele didn’t have any qualms about delving into the menial labor work in one of his hotels on any given day. A hands-on approach to the nuts and bolts of their business seems to be a trait well passed down the hereditary line of the devoted entrepreneurial clan. Again, a tried and tested method of business where innovators are involved in the menial details of their enterprise, ensuring all goes right and boosting the morale of their employees by acting just like a colleague rather than a boss or owner.
Building on this success, Bekele expanded rapidly, opening dozens of hotels along the railway line. He later turned his attention to the Rift Valley, drawn by its pristine lakes, hot springs, and bustling trade routes. He saw immense potential in the region’s seemingly remote towns like Arba Minch, Shashemene, and Ziway—diverse, dynamic places that didn’t ask where someone came from, only what they could contribute. In this meritocratic environment, Bekele not only survived but thrived.
The rest is history. Through relentless work ethic, ingenuity, and bold vision, Bekele became a business magnate whose legacy and impact continue to inspire. He was a towering figure whose shoes remain difficult to fill, even decades later.
My favorite breakfast at work has long been the cold sandwich — a satisfying combination of beef salami, eggs, cheese, onions, and green peppers. This delicious meal is prepared by none other than the catering division of the Bekele Molla Group, the same company behind establishments like The Garden Court and Hebir Ethiopia restaurants on Bole Road. Its catering operations extend to various divisions within the Ethiopian Airlines Head Office, reflecting the group’s enduring presence in the country’s hospitality sector.
My mind drifted back to the countless motivational videos I’d watched on YouTube. Stories of global business icons like the Rothschilds, John D. Rockefeller, and Warren Buffett, whose legacies have shaped entire industries. Yet, the kind of success often celebrated in boardrooms and business schools abroad had also been achieved, in remarkable fashion, by Bekele Molla right here in Ethiopia. Strangely though, few have taken the time to study his journey in depth or to properly honor this homegrown tycoon who defied the odds and built a business empire that spanned hospitality, retail, and manufacturing.
A comprehensive assessment is warranted to fully quantify the substantial impact of Bekele’s contributions to the Ethiopian tourism sector, encompassing the employment opportunities provided to thousands and the broader economic benefits realized by the supply chain, as well as the experiences of the millions who availed themselves of his services and hospitality.
His brand name is etched in the memory of his countrymen and nation alongside the famous “Thirteen Months of Sunshine” logo and mantra. Bekele Molla’s name is synonymous with the nostalgic decades of the 60s through the early 90s, where famous posters of Ben Amir, Sof Omar, Tis Abay, Lalibela, Girl from Bale, portraits of Wubit Amensissa, and so much more evoke treasured memories for a generation. His hotel empire was not a simple business but a dear memory for all those who crossed the doors of any one of his abodes, be it in Arba Minch, Langano, Shashemene, and so much more.
Despite his extraordinary accomplishments, Bekele’s story remains largely overlooked by the media, the public, and even institutions tasked with understanding our business landscape. As the old saying goes, a prophet is never recognized in his own hometown. I couldn’t help but wonder: had Bekele been born into the same environment as his North American or European counterparts, the Forbes 500 elite, how different might his trajectory have been?
It is nothing short of awe-inspiring that someone with no formal education beyond basic reading and writing could rise to become one of the sharpest business minds in the country — a builder of brands, a master of strategy, and a symbol of entrepreneurial spirit. His legacy, forged nearly a century ago, remains unmatched by any present or foreseeable business model.
As I munched on Hemen’s chocolates, sampling the wide variety of flavors and textures, I realized how tempting it will be to stop by every time I’m near Meskel Square. I’m sure that Bekele Molla would be proud, even consoled, knowing that his legacy and family heritage are being carried forward. It gives one pause to imagine what advice he might offer today’s entrepreneurs on values like honesty, integrity, hard work, and ingenuity — values he lived by and which remain timeless guides for success.
Bekele’s legacy is not just a story of individual triumph; it laid the very foundation for the emergence of modern hospitality in Ethiopia — pioneering and scaling a hotel chain, and building a brand that became the launchpad for future growth in the sector. A heartfelt salute to this rare meteor who illuminated the Ethiopian business landscape. Like Halley’s Comet, which graces Earth’s skies only once every 76 years, Bekele Molla was a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon, a hotelier-in-chief whose enduring legacy will remain a benchmark for generations to come.
The beauty of his enterprise and business empire is that it endured decades, changing global and local economic trends and challenges to evolve, endure, and propel forward, carrying the same entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, and business acumen. It may be understandable to follow and make sense of the success of giant family-owned conglomerates like Walmart, Volkswagen, Ford, and so on, who dominate the Forbes 500. A free market environment, access to capital through the capital market, and advanced business practices help put the success of these enterprises in perspective. However, Bekele’s business, conceived in feudal Ethiopia, nurtured in a socialist command economy and developmental state that succeeded it, and still thriving, is a monumental and exemplary success.
Bekele Molla has been a recipient of the all-important Emperor Haile Selassie’s Royal award, and subsequent governments all awarded him accolades recognizing his lifetime achievement and legacy he left behind. It is not common to come across such a consistent business legacy that endures generations. It is not the amount of money made nor the wealth amassed, though Bekele is also at the forefront in this regard as well. The main legacy he leaves behind is his entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, clean business practices and integrity, and sustainability of a business empire. For sure, his spirit lives on through his granddaughter and other associates who continue on the path he set forth. His extraordinary life and achievement is an inspiration to any aspiring young business men and women.
Bereket Balcha holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Social Anthropology from Addis Ababa University (AAU) and a Diploma in Purchasing and Supply Chain Management from Addis Ababa Commercial College/AAU. His extensive professional background encompasses decades of experience at Ethiopian Airlines in diverse roles, complemented by a two-year engagement at the Ethiopia Insurance Corporation.
Contributed by Bereket Balcha