About This Coffee
Bilelign isn't your typical coffee farmer. He is a trained pharmacist and owns a modest pharmacy in Werqha, Nensebo (the biggest city in Nensebo Worda). He manages his 4 hectares farm alongside with his father, Tadesse Demise.
Though he is physically disabled from a childhood bought of polio, Bilelign is an ambitious and hardworking man. In addition to his coffee and pharmacy business, Bilelign is a representative of Lulo Coffee, an exporter, in the region and he’s managing the development of a new mill by Lulo.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Bilelign began experimenting in 2023 with anaerobic processing and he was extremely happy with the result and the value it brought. He and his father, Tadesse Demise, selectively handpick ripe, red cherry and process it on their farm. They ferment cherry in sealed containers to create an anaerobic environment before laying cherry on raised beds to dry. They rake cherry frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 18 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.