Raro Nensebo Natural Gr. 1

This coffee is produced by farmers in delivering to Raro Nensebo working with Ture Waji and his company, Sookoo Coffee. The group and their farms are situated in Uraga, Guji. The landscape here is rugged and stunning, with wide swaths of forest and rich, volcanic soil. The high altitude, warm days and cool nights are perfect for growing sweet, dense cherry.

Farming methods in Guji remain largely traditional. Farmers typically intercrop their coffee plants with other food crops, including beans, peas and enset (false banana), which is a staple in the region’s cuisine. This method is common among smallholders because it maximizes land use and provides food for their families.

In addition to being traditionally intercropped, most farms are also organic-by-default. Farmers in Guji typically use very few—if any—fertilizers or pesticides. Most farm work is done manually and very few tasks are mechanized, even during processing.

Farmers in the region often have a mix of local landrace and varieties developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) planted on their farms.

Due to the size of most plots, coffee is typically handpicked by landowners and their family.

All coffee is selectively hand-harvested before being delivered to Raro Nensebo washing station. At the station, coffee is sorted to remove damaged or underripe cherry and is then laid on raised beds to dry. Cherry is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks for cherry to dry.

Sucafina has worked with Sookoo coffee since 2019. Sookoo Coffee is a family-owned company led by Ture Waji. Sookoo produces high-quality organic and specialty coffee. Sookoo is named after the Ethiopian word for gold. Like gold, coffee is precious and Sookoo’s name reflects the care and attention they pay to their coffees.

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.

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.