Traceability Project

Ethiopia

Natural Sidamo Gr.1 – Bensa

Region: Sidama

Municipality: Bensa woreda, Daye

Altitude: 1838 m a.s.l.

Cultivation: mix of sun and shade grown

Harvesting period: November through December

Soil type: red clay soil

Varietal: 74158, 74110

Processing method: natural

Drying method: Sun-dried on shaded raised beds

Ethiopia Natural Sidamo Gr.1 – Bensa_117

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.

Ethiopia Natural Sidamo

From the highlands of Sidama, this Ethiopian coffee comes from a region where coffee growing is at the heart of both the local economy and community identity. Bensa benefits from a temperate high-altitude climate with two rainy seasons — ideal conditions for exceptional quality. The landscape is shaped by small family-managed plots, with a natural interplay of sun and shade.
After hand-picking, the cherries are laid to dry on raised beds for 12 to 15 days. Shade nets and careful management of exposure times ensure precise control over the final result.