Traceability Project

Ethiopia

Natural Guji Gr.1 – Hambella (6373I)

Region: Oromiya, Guji zone

Municipality: Hambella woreda

Farm: Smallholder farmers

Altitude: 2,100 m a.s.l.

Cultivation: mix of sun and shade grown

Harvesting period: November through December

Soil type: Volcanic

Varietal: 74112

Processing method: Natural

Drying method: Sun-dried on shaded raised beds

Natural Process

The harvested coffee cherries are selected, either manually or mechanically, to remove unripe cherries and foreign matter. They are then laid to dry on cement patios or raised beds, and turned regularly to avoid unwanted mold and fermentation. The whole drying process may last between three and six weeks, depending on climatic conditions.

This drying process allows the sugar from the pulp, mucilage (mesocarp) and skin (exocarp) to penetrate the beans, giving sweetness, body and a characteristic yellow hue (or bronze in the case of foxy beans).

When the dried cherries reach around 11% humidity, they are taken to the mill for hulling and kept in parchment (endocarp), before being milled and bagged.

Hambella

This lot is grown in Hambella at 2,100 metres above sea level on fertile, well-drained red soil. A distinctive climate and the natural interplay of sun and shade allow the cherries to ripen slowly, resulting in a complex profile.
Production is entirely manual and chemical-free, relying on organic fertilisers. The lot is processed using the natural method over 12 to 15 days. The whole cherries are sun-dried on raised beds, protected by shade nets and turned regularly to ensure a uniform and precise result.