Ethiopia Taferi Kela Washed

Coffee production in Ethiopia accounts for approximately one-third of the country’s GDP, yet more than 90% of those working in the coffee sector do not earn a living wage. Bette Buna is working to change that in their community.

They educate local farmers on how to improve soil health, restore agroforestry systems, and emphasize the importance of harvesting only ripe coffee cherries. Ripe cherries weigh more and produce higher quality coffee, which means farmers receive a better price per kilo and additional premiums for quality.

Perhaps even more impactful is their annual distribution of over 350,000 healthy seedlings from their own nursery. These seedlings are climate-resilient, and farmers who plant them earn, on average, at least $2 per mature plant each year. This creates an economic impact of more than $650,000 annually in a region where the average monthly household income for a family of nine is less than $50.

Equal opportunities and a transparent supply chain

Bette Buna is an equal opportunity employer, which is highly unusual in a culture that rarely offers meaningful work to people with disabilities. Their nursery employs people with disabilities (especially the deaf), families of people with disabilities, as well as other marginalized groups, such as single mothers who often struggle to find jobs — especially ones that allow them to care for their children while working in agriculture.

Thanks to Bette Buna, an exceptional level of traceability is ensured. Every batch is meticulously tracked, documenting who was involved in each stage of production — from cherry pickers to processing and milling. This level of transparency is almost unheard of in Ethiopia. It not only guarantees that we’re receiving the exact same coffee we cupped before shipping, but also ensures that the people who produced it were paid fairly — everyone involved in adding value is properly compensated.

This transparency also means that Bette Buna is well-prepared to comply with the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

This lot

This specific lot was grown by smallholder farmers in the Taferi Kela area and processed by Bette Buna at their own washing station. It is a classic washed Ethiopian coffee: the cherries were first depulped, then fermented for 24–36 hours depending on temperature. Fermentation took place in concrete tanks filled with water — a low-oxygen but not fully anaerobic environment.

After fermentation, the coffee was washed and floating or defective beans were removed. Drying took place over 8–15 days on raised, covered African beds, followed by a resting period in storage to stabilize and reach the ideal moisture content.