About This Coffee
Well positioned in the popular Guji Zone, Chamola Station has the infrastructure to process over 1.5 million kilograms of cherry annually. This lot comes from 5 farmer groups that represent a total of 92 smallholders for farm the surrounding highlands and produce quality cherry.
With the Lalisaa program, farmers receive training and support to improve their farms and invest the time and money required to harvest only ripe cherry.
Our partner at Chamola Station is owner Hassan Ware. Hassan is our largest partner in the Lalisaa program. He has been working with coffee since the ‘aughts. His 10+ years of experience have helped him develop a keen eye for quality and a spirited drive to produce the best coffee in the region.
Changes to the ECX
Due to recent changes in regulation, even the little guys can directly export their coffee to foreign markets. With Ethiopia’s staggering levels of variety diversity, we believe that amazing new coffees are just waiting to be discovered.
The Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) was established in 2008 as a way to help farmers receive higher prices, get paid more quickly and receive better payment for better quality. To accomplish these goals, the ECX was intentionally designed to semi-anonymize coffees so that those who graded and those who purchased the coffees, did so on the merit of the cup not the reputation of the name.
In response to the demand for more traceable coffee, the Ethiopian Coffee & Tea Development and Marketing Authority introduced a bill in 2017 that allowed Ethiopian coffee, including coffee sold through the ECX, to be marketed and sold with full traceability.
About Lalisaa
Lalisaa is a term used to describe something that is flourishing and growing. Our Lalisaa coffees, initiated by Sucafina staff, began with the recognition that the supply chain in Ethiopia was failing to benefit smallholder farmers or reward them for producing quality coffee.
The program encourages strong growing practices, rewards the production of quality coffee and helps farmers take control of their part of the supply chain by partnering directly with smallholders.
New farmers are onboarded each year for a training program that is intended to help farmers improve yields and quality while also accessing new markets and financial services. Farmers in the program participate in a wide range of activities including designing, and later revising, a farm management plan, accessing financing for larger farm projects and more.
Currently, Lalissa is compromised of 97 farmers located within the acclaimed coffee-producing regions of Kochere, Gedeb, Yirgacheffe, Shakiso, Bule Hora and Sidama. In addition to working with farmers to improve quality and yield, Sucafina Ethiopia is, through Lalisaa, making introductions between roasters and farmers. By bringing roasters to visit farmers and begin discussions, Lalisaa coffees are helping make connections and developing relationships between farmers and their potential clients. This will enable direct trade relationships that can benefit both farmers and roasters.
About Guji
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.
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.