Kayon Mountain Guji FW

Ismael Hassen Aredo was born and raised in Kercha District an area that is a significant producer of specialty coffee. Ismael’s family produced and sold coffee and it soon became his business as well.   

Ismael believes that the main reason for Kayon Mountain’s success is the farm’s emphasis on day-to-day oversight and on treating workers well. Thanks to the skilled, motivated and invested workers at Kayon Mountain, coffee quality is carefully monitored and improved.  

In addition to improving coffee quality and to employee laborers from the community, Ismael is invested in supporting the surrounding coffee communities. He has helped build schools, office and roads and is planning to build a bridge across Sawana, a river that many children have to cross to get to school. The crossing is dangerous and a new bridge would keep children safer as they pursue their educations.  

The farm’s nursery provides annual infusions of fresh rootstock for the farm. Ismael uses a combination of experience and scientific understanding to cultivate the most productive and high-quality farm possible. He has planted local coffee tree varieties that scientists have recommended for its excellent taste. The nursey also produces seedlings for the 135+ outgrower farms who deliver cherry to Kayon Mountain’s wet mill.   

With his focus on specialty coffee quality, Ismael consults with trained agronomists, hires skilled workers for his wet mill and pays fairly for expertise. The farm has 30 permanent workers and approximately 300 seasonal workers each year. All workers are treated and paid fairly and have access to a resting area and clean water. The workers all live in the surrounding villages.  

Ismael also provides outgrowers with training on coffee production and improving quality.  

After selective handpicking, cherry is sorted at intake so that only ripe, red cherry is pulped in Kayon’s Aagaard pulper. Pulped coffee is fermented for 24 to 72 hours, depending on ambient temperature and then washed in clean water. Wet parchment is laid on raised beds to sundry for 12 to 18 days. Workers turn drying parchment every 20 to 30 minutes to promote even drying. Parchment is  covered with sheets to protect drying parchment from rain and overnight condensation. 

At Sucafina , we believe that Specialty is more than coffee quality, it is an approach that focuses on creating value across the supply chain. One way we’re focusing on returning value to origin is with our partnership with the Girls Gotta Run Foundation (GGRF). We are pledging to donate a portion of our profits from every pound of this coffee sold. These funds go directly to the many programs they support.

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.