Ethiopia Yigracheffe

Natural processed coffee from the Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia. Complex notes of berries, florals, and almonds.

Background

Our Ethiopia natural processed coffee from the Yirgacheffe region is a real flavorful treat! Considered the birthplace of Arabica coffee, Ethiopia has over 10,000 heirloom varieties of coffee growing wild in the forests. Coffee is thought to have its origins from the Sidamo region of southern Ethiopia. Coffee grows more slowly in the high elevations of the region, thus allowing more time to absorb the nutrients from the soil and develop more robust flavors.  The coffee grows under the shade of indigenous trees, with only the ripe red cherries harvested and processed. The dry climate is perfect for the sundried natural process of curing the beans by laying them out to dry on raised beds with the skin and fruity mucilage layer intact. This process produces a coffee with unique flavor characteristics of berries, florals, lemon acidity, and deep dark chocolate! To learn more about coffee farming in Ethiopia, click here.

Ethiopia is the largest coffee producer in Africa and third in the world in Arabica production, Its coffee traditions, from growing to brewing, are virtually untouched and remain at the heart of the culture. Coffee drinking has been part of Ethiopian life for centuries—an elaborate ceremony that includes roasting, grinding, and brewing the coffee is still a staple of social life today, a tradition that deserves our respect and appreciation.

The Yirgacheffe region, located in Southern Ethiopia, is known for producing exquisite coffees. Producers in the region cultivate “coffee gardens,” with farms of 0.5-1.5 hectare and interplant their coffee with other crops. We sourced this Grade 1 coffee from smallholder farms in the Konga village. Grade 1 is the highest quality offered in Ethiopia and as such only ripe cherries are selected, and they are meticulously sorted to reduce defects.

Our supplier for this lot, YKM Coffee Trading, has three generations of coffee growers spanning 54 years, starting before any coffee processing machines were used in the country. Now they operate 3 washing stations and 6 sun-drying stations in Yirgacheffe, Guji, Gedeb, and Sidamo, and they are one of the largest exporters in Ethiopia.

They cultivated long-standing good relationships with farmers, cooperatives, and all stakeholders they work with. As part of the Community Development program, they work closely with the local communities including the employees, farmers, and local authorities. YKM works with farmers to improve farming techniques so they can receive higher prices for good coffee.  They provide education and fair income for smallholders in all regions in which they operate. YKM constructed a local school and supplies school materials to needy students. They provide educational materials to support farmers and their children, as well as support to local soccer and volleyball teams both financially and materially.

The Grade 1 Natural processed coffee is grown between 1800-2200 meters above sea level and is processed at a the Konga sun-drying station from neighboring smallholder farms in the Konga village. This leads to a vibrant and complex cup with lots of florals, lemony acidity, ripe red fruits, black tea and a sweet candy-like finish.

Order a bag or two of our Ethiopia natural processed coffee from the Yirgacheffe region today. From the sale of this coffee, we donate a portion of our proceeds to PALS Prevent a Litter. Find out more about who we donate to on our Giving page.