Sparked by a devotion to his childhood roots as a shepherd in Ethiopia, Notre Dame graduate Izaiah Steury (’26) joined senior Daniel Cuesta in founding Addisuna Coffee Co., a specialty coffee company that fulfills educational needs of impoverished students. Since launching its flagship products in March 2026, Addisuna has already grown enough to sponsor a lifetime of education for 18 Ethiopian students.
In an interview with the Rover, Steury shared his inspiration behind the company and its mission.
“Addisuna came to be three years ago. I went back to Ethiopia, and I saw that there’s a lot of inequality and not a whole lot of opportunities,” he remarked. Testifying to the impact of education in his life, he reflected, “I’ve been super blessed to be adopted and [to have] come to the United States. Growing up a shepherd and having nothing, then coming to the U.S. and being able to graduate from the University of Notre Dame puts a really big perspective on how education is so important and where it can take you.”
Education was the avenue by which Steury sought to improve the lives of those who shared his background, and coffee was a clear path to make this support possible. He continued, “Coffee is a community … every time you go to an Ethiopian house, you’re always going to have coffee.”
Steury reflected on how he met Cuesta and on how the two Mendoza students combined their talents and shared love for coffee to start Addisuna.
Steury explained, “I was looking for a logo, and Daniel was sitting to the right of me in my stats class—I saw one of his cards that he had on the table, and it said, ‘D.C.,’ and it was this kind of fancy logo.” Impressed by his graphic design skills and professionalism, Steury shared his story and asked whether Cuesta would help design a logo. To this, he responded, “Only if I can also be a part of this.”
In an interview with the Rover, Cuesta shared the significance of the company name: “The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa. And the word for coffee in the Ethiopian language, Tigrinya, is ‘buna.’ ‘Addis’ from Addis Ababa means ‘new,’ and ‘buna’ in Tigrinya means ‘coffee.’ So ‘new coffee.’”
Speaking on what drew him to the mission, he continued, “We realized that we both had a heart for orphans. Izaiah was adopted at the age of 11 … My dad died when I was 16, so that means a lot to me too.” He continued, “Being Colombian, coffee runs in my veins … I saw coffee as a way to honor my father … I know the importance that it is to have a dad.”
After a year of development, Addisuna now sells two flagship products, “Sunbloom,” a medium roast, and “Daybreak,” a light roast. They source the coffee beans from Ethiopia and locally roast them in partnership with Quad Coffee Lab in South Bend. All roasts are “specialty coffee,” as defined by the Specialty Coffee Association scale, because its certified quality ratings reflect their commitment to “being the best in the world while doing the best for this world.”
Cuesta and Steury sampled many roast profiles before reaching a consensus on their two offerings. “The highest amount of caffeine is actually in the light roast because it preserves the original chemical bonds.” As runners, they wanted to “do something with more caffeine in it.” They also knew they needed a medium roast because it would provide “the kind of flavor everyone would love.”
Since March, Addisuna has collaborated on events with the Monogram Club of Notre Dame and ASA, and has also expanded to local cafes and farmers’ markets in Northeast Indiana.
To further the company’s mission, Addisuna created a sister non-profit organization. Through the Addisuna Youth Foundation, patrons can directly donate to sponsor the education of Ethiopia’s youth.
Currently, Addisuna is sponsoring 10 girls and five boys, providing them with school supplies for the entire 2026 school year, including book bags, textbooks, pens and pencils, uniforms, and feminine hygiene products for the girls.
Additionally, Addisuna connected with three children in need of mobility assistance—a need outside of the company’s budget. Cuesta remarked, “We may not have enough to cover this, but I said, ‘Let’s just say we’re going to do it. Let’s commit.’ By the grace of God, the funds did arrive, and that’s been such a blessing.”
Reflecting on his and Cuesta’s dedication to the education of Ethiopia’s youth, Steury shared the story of his adoption following the death of his mother. He shared, “I was a shepherd and a farmer.” He explained, “I was five years old, when my mother passed away, and then my dad left when I was younger.”
Connecting his personal experience to those shared by all Ethiopian natives, Steury remarked, “Barely 55 percent of students in Ethiopia actually pass 12th grade.” To Steury and Cuesta, education is one of the greatest gifts to give. “You learn how to do things, so you can think for yourself, you can build for yourself, and you can create opportunities for others,” Steury concluded.
Discussing the future of Addisuna, Steury remarked, “This is a dream of mine. And plus, if [the students] ever want to study abroad, it would be amazing to connect them to Our Lady’s University.”
Addisuna’s specialty coffee is available on the company’s online storefront, and you can donate to support more students’ education and future through the Addisuna Youth Foundation here.
Clare DiFranco is a senior studying accounting and Italian. To help fuel her routine overconsumption of caffeine, she has a bag of Addisuna beans on the way. She can be reached at cdifranc@nd.edu.