Ethiopia-Gelgelu

Story

During our 2020 sourcing trip to Ethiopia, we toured the Yirgacheffe area in search of the floral fruit bombs that the natural coffees of this area is so well known for. Our answer came in the form of Gelgelu Edema, a lady who produces from the town of Gedeb in Southern Yirgacheffe.

A uniquely strong woman among Ethiopia’s partriachal society, Gelgelu meticulously manages her staff for quality. Originally a member of the well-known Worka Cooperative, she was invited to and joined a local project for producers to take on new rigorous processing standards and higher cup qualifications. In return, Gelgelu enjoys higher premiums from the sale of her coffee. This success has allowed her to expand the farm, which now produces approximately 35 metric tonnes of green.

With trees grown in a red-clay soil and shade trees all across the farm, the coffees were super sweet when we took a small bite into the berry. Harvest is at the end of each calendar year and usually spans a period of 10 weeks. In effort to pick only ripe cherries, each tree is hand-picked over three rounds of picking, this coffee is a great example of how tasty coffee can be in the hands of an experienced and attentive producer, under the right grown conditions and with amazing coffee varietals.

For a Sustainable Future

• Environmental: Water Preservation, Forest Conservation
• Economic: Value Creation
• Social: Fair Trade