Ethiopia Gedeb

Product detailed description

Region: Gedeb
Altitude: 2150–2200 m a.s.l.
Processing: Natural (dry)
Farm: Farmers associated with Ephtah Specialty Coffee
Variety: Heirloom (many native varieties)
Importer: Falcon Coffees
Harvest: 2024

🌿 Origin and Harvest

The production of Ethiopian coffee is strongly influenced by three main seasons. Bega (October–January) is a long dry period crucial for coffee harvesting and processing. Belg (February–May) brings the first rains essential for coffee flowering and early fruit development. During Krempt (June–September), heavy eastern rains support the maturation of coffee cherries. By the end of September, the rains suddenly stop, allowing the cherries to ripen, and by November the rich harvest season begins.

🏡 About Ephtah Specialty Coffee

Ephtah Specialty Coffee is dedicated to building sustainable and collaborative supply chains that benefit customers, farmers, and their communities. The company focuses on empowering women in the coffee industry, recognizing their crucial role in driving social and economic change in Ethiopia. Ephtah ensures quality at every stage of the process, providing top-tier green coffee beans while maintaining satisfaction among all partners in the chain.

🏞️ Lalesa Washing Station

The Lalesa washing station is located in the Gedeb region, home to over 300,000 people. The area is predominantly Christian (Protestant), with some Orthodox communities, and the main spoken language is Gedeo. The community celebrates its main annual New Year’s festival on January 18, and the staple food is enset (false banana). The Siqe River marks the boundary between Gedeo, Guji, and the southern Oromia region.

☀️ Coffee Processing

Coffee is naturally grown under the shade of trees, mainly Ensete (false banana). The best cherries are purchased from nearby farmers, then floated to remove underripe ones, and dried for 12–15 days on raised beds. After drying, local women hand-sort the green beans.

🚛 Coffee Export

After processing and drying, the coffee is stored at Moplaco in Gerji, Addis Ababa. It is then transported by train for export through Djibouti.

🤝 Social and Environmental Impact

Ephtah Specialty Coffee is engaged in social and environmental projects, offering advance payments to farmers upon delivery, and rewarding them with quality premiums, bonuses, and educational support. Future plans include expanding the Ama Commitment program, building a water reservoir for coffee washing, increasing the number of drying beds, and cultivating additional crops to support local markets.

📈 Challenges and Future Plans

This year, the company faced financial constraints due to National Bank of Ethiopia’s policies aimed at controlling inflation. Nevertheless, Ephtah remains committed to further investment and development, especially in expanding drying facilities and supporting local farmers.

We roast coffee 3× a week so it always reaches you freshly roasted. We’ve been roasting our own coffee since 2019 in Silůvky, Moravia.