Kedamai FW Limu G1

The cooperative and wet mill, Kedamai, is located in the Oromia region, Djimma zone of Western Ethiopia. Their first year of production was in 2018. The mill is part of the Kata Maduga Cooperative. 

Their Penagos (2500) eco-pulping machine can process 2,500 kg of ripe cherry per hour. Thus, Kedamai is well positioned to produce a significant volume of coffee within the next few years. 

Sitting on a sloped hill with the wet mill at the top, processing at Kedamai flows downwards with the slope of the hill. The wet mill flows at the top while subsequent processes are further down. The drying beds are at the bottom of the hill. This helps efficiency and reduces the stress on the workers. 

Washed processing at the Kedamai washing station follows the traditional Ethiopian methods. An initial cherry screening through flotation and a visual check holds back unwanted cherries. The depulper tears off the cherry skin and some mucilage. Next, the coffee ferments under water for 36 to 72 hours. **

Once the mucilage has broken down sufficiently, the coffee is released into the washing channel for cleaning. During this step, the station’s staff pushes the coffee through channels. This separates the coffee in parchment quality grades according to its density. Remaining floaters are easily removed. Once clean, the highest parchment grade passes through an additional soaking phase of 8 to 12 hours.

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Finally, the wet parchment is carried out to the drying field. During the first day of drying, the parchment rests on the pre-drying tables to let the excess water run off. Here, detecting and removing defects when the coffee is still wet is easier. After one day, the drying field staff transfers the wet parchment to other tables where it will dry for up to 12 days. During this period, they regularly turn the parchment to ensure even drying and to avoid defects. Once dried, the coffees rest in a warehouse until the cooperative finds a buyer.

The Duromina cooperative is part of the Kata Muduga Multipurpose Farmers’ Cooperative Union. Kata Muduga is the umbrella organization supporting some of the biggest and best coffee-producing cooperatives in Ethiopia today. It’s also one of the most farmer-focused inions. It consistently generates some of the highest prices paid to farmers in the country. The Union’s General Manager, Asnake Nigat, has been part of the story of these coffees from the beginning. Asnake was a business advisor with the Technoserve Coffee Initiative, a development project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, before joining Kata Muduga. 

Grades in Ethiopia depend on visual inspection for defects and on cup quality. Grade 1 is considered the highest quality coffee. Grade 1 and 2 are considered specialty coffee, grades 3-9 are classified as commercial coffee. Grade 1 is free of cup faults and taints and has zero quakers.