Deri Fahmi Guji Hambela Anaerobic Natural

This Anaerobic Natural lot was grown by smallholder farmers delivering ripe cherries to the Deri Fahmi washing station, owned and operated by Testi Specialty Coffee. Deri refers to the nearby village, while Fahmi is the name of the first son of Testi founder and CEO, Faysel Abdos. Testi Specialty Coffee was established in 2009 and today runs several stations across Guji. The family-owned business is committed to quality and the team has proven itself a true innovator in the Ethiopian coffee landscape, exemplified by the stringent Anaerobic processing method used for this lot.  

Beyond purchasing cherry, Testi Specialty Coffee invests in projects designed to support the long-term wellbeing of coffee-growing communities in Sidamo. Their work has included helping to build schools, supporting access to clean water and contributing to projects that connect households to the electricity grid. These initiatives are developed in response to priorities identified by the communities themselves, with a focus on creating practical, lasting improvements to daily life.

Education remains at the center of these efforts. Through Project Direct, the team works to help ensure children in coffee-growing communities have access to government-approved education and the supplies needed to attend school each year. In partnership with Bless Bean Co. Ltd., Testi is also supporting the construction of a new high school in Hamasho Borena and an electricity project serving the village of Shantawane, both aimed at expanding opportunities for local families and students.

Alongside producing high-quality specialty coffee, Testi’s broader goal is to reinvest in the communities that make coffee production possible and to support sustainable development that extends beyond the farm level. 

Coffee from Guji was once lumped in with coffees from all over the Yirgacheff region. Before Yirgacheffe was its own region, those coffees were blended with coffee from a wide geographical area that encompassed much of central-south Ethiopia under the grade “Sidamo”. Despite its long journey, Guji coffees are widely recognized as distinct from both Yirgacheffe and Sidamo coffee thanks to the unique local varieties and microclimates.

Farming methods in Guji remain largely traditional. Guji farmers typically cultivate in small plots where coffee plants are intercropped with other food crops. This method is common among smallholders because it maximizes land use and provides food for their families. In addition, farmers in the region are benefiting from nutrient-rich soils and optimal climate conditions. These factors contribute to the slow development of cherries, resulting in dense, sweet beans with exceptional cup quality.  

In addition to remaining traditionally intercropped, most farms are also traditional and organic-by-default. Farmers in Guji typically use very few, if any, fertilizers or pesticides. Most farm work is done manually and very few tasks are mechanized, even during processing. 

Cherries are selectively hand-picked by farmers and their families before being delivered to the washing station. At intake, coffee is sorted to remove defective or underripe fruit. Following this preselection stage, cherries are immersed in water tanks to remove floaters, ensuring that only the densest cherries are allowed to proceed.  

Selected cherries are fermented in a fully sealed tank, preventing any oxygen from seeping through. Fermentation takes place over 7 days, until the pH level drops to 3.8, achieving the desired winey and juicy profile. Throughout the process, the tanks are placed in water baths to maintain a consistent temperature of 15–18°C. This temperature control is important, as it allows the cherries to ferment at a slower pace, resulting in a more well-developed flavor profile.

After 7 days, the cherries are removed and undergo a brief drying phase on raised beds until moisture levels drop to around 35%, typically within 1-2 days. They are then spread in a thin layer on shaded raised beds for the final drying stage. During the process, workers turn cherries frequently to ensure even drying. It typically takes 30 days for cherries to reach the desired moisture level, depending on the weather. Once drying is completed, dried cherries are relocated to nearby warehouses for storage. 

Guji coffee has only recently been distinguished from neighboring Sidamo and Yirgacheffe. However, due to their incredible quality and unique profiles, they are quickly gaining international recognition.

The Guji region receives ample rainfall and is marked by steep mountainous terrain: perfect conditions to support the vast array of coffee grown here. 

Testi Specialty Coffee is a family-owned business established in 2009 that today operates more than 20 washing stations and manages over 315 hectares of land. The company is committed to quality and has proven itself as true innovator in the Ethiopian coffee landscape, exemplified by exceptional quality coffee. Alongside producing high-quality specialty coffee, Testi’s broader goal is to reinvest in the communities that make coffee production possible and to support sustainable development that extends beyond the farm level. 

Testi Specialty Coffee invests in projects designed to support the long-term wellbeing of coffee-growing communities in Sidamo, Ethiopia. Their work has included helping to build schools, supporting access to clean water and contributing to projects that connect households to the electricity grid. These initiatives are developed in response to priorities identified by the communities themselves, with a focus on creating practical, lasting improvements to daily life.

Education remains at the center of these efforts. Through Project Direct, the team works to help ensure children in coffee-growing communities have access to government-approved education and the supplies needed to attend school each year. In partnership with Bless Bean Co. Ltd., Testi is also supporting the construction of a new high school in Hamasho Borena and an electricity project serving the village of Shantawane, both aimed at expanding opportunities for local families and students.

They are also member of different associations, including Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX), The African Finest Coffee Association (AFCA), The Ethiopian Coffee exporter Association (ECEA) and The Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce (ECC).