Widely considered the birthplace of coffee, Yirgacheffe is a micro-region in Sidama, Ethiopia’s leading coffee-producing region. Its lush climate and mountainous topography are ideal for producing some of the finest Arabica coffees—fruity and floral, bright and balanced. The region is common for “garden coffee” production, where smallholder farmers grow coffee fruits and vegetables alongside coffee, which is their primary cash crop. Most of the coffee grown in smaller plots of land are farmed organically, though not certified as such.
The Chelbesa kebele (village) is a renowned producing area in Yirgacheffe in the Gedeo Zone of Ethiopia’s Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR). Here, shade-grown coffee thrives under a dense, layered, semi-forest canopy. The Chelbesa wet mill was established in 2019 with the goal of sourcing fresh coffee cherries from hundreds of nearby smallholders. Over 760 producers contributed to this Grade 2 natural processed coffee.
Natural coffees are processed using the traditional method of drying the bean and cherry together before hulling the fruit. The longer fermentation of the bean inside its fruit typically yields a punchier flavor than washed processing, and this coffee is no exception. This Yirgacheffe natural offers superb berry and fruitiness, floral notes, bright acidity and a medium body.
