About This Coffee
This producer group was established in April 2020 to support the 300 producers delivering to a central station in Nensebo. Farmers live and farm coffee near Werqa Harbera village, after which this coffee is named. Their farms at 2.25 hectares on average and sit at altitudes at 1,800 to 2,000 meters above sea level.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Farmers selectively handpick ripe, red cherry and deliver it to the station. At intake, cherry is selectively sorted so that only top-quality cherry is processed for this lot. Cherry is laid on raised beds to dry. Workers rake cherry frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 12 to 17 days for cherry to dry.
Coffee in Ethiopia
While Ethiopia is famous as coffee’s birthplace, today it remains a specialty coffee industry darling for its incredible variety of flavors. While full traceability has been difficult in recent history, new regulations have made direct purchasing possible. We’re partnering directly with farmers to help them produce top quality specialty lots that are now completely traceable, adding value for farmers and roasters, alike.
The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors. The genetic diversity of coffee varieties means that we find a diversity of flavor, even between (or within) farms with similar growing conditions and processing. In addition to varieties, processing methods also contribute to end quality. The final key ingredients for excellent coffee in Ethiopia are the producing traditions that have created the genetic diversity, processing infrastructure and great coffee we enjoy today.
Most producers in Ethiopia are smallholders, and the majority continue to cultivate coffee using traditional methods. As a result, most coffee is grown with no chemical fertilizer or pesticide use. Coffee is almost entirely cultivated, harvested and dried using manual systems.