A single-farmer Ethiopian natural produced by Getaneh Endale Mengesha in Yirgacheffe.

This coffee is part of a project we started during the 2023-2024 harvest, aiming to support single-farmer production in Ethiopia.

Origin: Getaneh Endale Mengesha

This coffee has been produced by Getaneh Endale Mengesha. Getaneh is a second-generation family farmer based in Yirgacheffe, a region known for its fertile soil and ideal climate for growing coffee. His farm is 3.9 hectares in size and sits at an altitude of 2019 masl.

Getaneh began growing coffee in 2011 and has since poured his heart into cultivating his crops. His primary goal is to increase the productivity of his farm and increase quality further. He also dreams of upgrading his farm to include a lodge for tourists and buyers, designed in the traditional Yirgacheffe style, to connect coffee farming with the tourism sector.

Last year, Getaneh’s hard work paid off as he achieved an impressive annual production of 51 quintals.

Harvest & Post-Harvest

This coffee was harvested between October and December and was processed as a natural.

Getaneh has implemented several measures on his farm to improve quality and sustainability. He enriches the soil through composting and carefully prepares the coffee on drying beds after harvesting. For drying, he uses bamboo materials and netting to ensure the beans are dried properly.

Impact

This coffee is part of a single-farmer project we launched in Ethiopia during the 2024 harvest. In 2019, the Ethiopian government began issuing export licences to single farmers with over 2 hectares of land. Despite many farmers obtaining these licences, they struggle to find markets for their coffee and manage the complex logistics and documentation required for successful exportation. As a result, many farmers have given up on direct exporting and instead supply their coffee to established exporters.

Through our initiative, we purchase coffee directly from these farmers, allowing them to act as the exporters. Our goal is to create a market for their coffee, offering higher premiums for their high-quality production. We aim to make their efforts financially viable and rewarding.