Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Chelbesa

PROFILE NOTES: This coffee boasts of blackberry, mandarin orange, star fruit

The Chelbesa village in Ethiopia's Gedeo Zone is a well-known coffee producing area. Under its dense, semi-forest canopy, shade-grown coffee flourishes and the Chelbesa wet mill was established in 2019 to source fresh coffee cherries from nearby smallholder farms. This Grade 1 natural processed coffee is the result of over 760 producers contributing their ripest cherries. As the birthplace of coffee, Yirgacheffe's ancient landrace varieties are grown by smallholder farmers who often use organic methods and intercrop with food crops to maximize the potential of the fertile soil. The natural process involves slow drying of whole coffee cherries over a period of up to four weeks, requiring careful planning and regular turning to ensure proper airflow and prevent spoilage. After drying, the fruit is removed and the coffee beans are prepared for export.