Ethiopia Natural Sidamo Organic is grown in the famous Oromia region of western Guji. This region produces a wide variety of flavor profiles with the noted complexity of an Ethiopian coffee. In addition to delicate florals and tea like body, Oromia is known for fruit forward notes and winey acidity.
Ethiopia Natural Sidamo Organic comes to us from the Kilenso Resa cooperative. Together, they cultivate more than 1 million kg of cherry across 1,600 hectares of land. The coffee is handpicked at peak ripeness and sorted twice more by flotation. The coffee is pulped natural, meaning although cherry is machine pulped, mucilage is left on the bean. In this case, the mucilage or coffee pulp ferments for 72 hours with no additional enzymes added. The coffee is then dried on raised beds for 10-14 days, depending upon weather conditions.
Kilenso Resa was established in 1977. Today it is over 2,000 strong and is one of the many members of the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU).
Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union
In Ethiopia, the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU) is a farmer-owned cooperative with members from across the Oromia Regional State, which accounts for 65 percent of the country’s total coffee-growing land.
OCFCU was established in 1999, with 34 small cooperative as members, to facilitate the direct export of coffee produced by smallholder farmers. Today, it is the largest Fair Trade producer in Ethiopia, with 217 primary cooperatives representing more than 200,000 farmer households.
The group has an excellent reputation for supporting its members and their communities—and for having women in prominent positions throughout the organization. Its pays 70% of its net profit back to the cooperatives, which in turn pay 70 percent of their profit to the member farmers. Farmers benefit by being paid three times during each season, which allows for greater stability.
OCFCU has constructed schools, health centers and clean water supply stations, and it also maintains a bank where members can receive pre-harvest financing and other financial services.
The co-op has been internationally recognized for its farmer support programs and advocacy for Fair Trade practices.
We source both G1 and G4 Ethiopia Natural Sidamo Organic, differentiated by the level of acceptable green defects, with G1 generally considered the highest quality.
