About This Coffee
This Natural-processed coffee from Guji is produced by Tima farmer group. The group is composed of producers living and farming in Tima, a sub-kebele located in Guji’s Shakiso district. Add to that the vibrant tropical fruit and complex sweetness of this coffee and you’re in for a real treat!
Cultivation
Farmers cultivate coffee under shade from indigenous trees. The varieties selected are a combination of local landraces and varieties from JARC (Jimma Agricultural Research Center) that are resistant to coffee berry disease (CDB).
Farming methods in Guji remain largely traditional. Guji farmers typically intercrop their coffee plants with other food crops. This method is common among smallholders because it maximizes land use and provides food for their families. In addition to remaining traditionally intercropped, most farm work is done manually and very few tasks are mechanized, even during processing.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Farmer selectively handpick ripe cherry and lay it to dry on raised beds. Cherry is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 2 to 4 weeks for cherry to dry.
Sookoo Coffee
Sucafina has worked with Sookoo coffee since 2019. Sookoo Coffee is a family-owned company led by Ture Waji. Sookoo produces high-quality organic and specialty coffee. Sookoo is named after the Ethiopian word for gold. Like gold, coffee is precious and Sookoo’s name reflects the care and attention they pay to their coffees.
About Guji
Guji coffee has only recently been distinguished from neighboring Sidamo and Yirgacheffe. However, due to their incredible quality and unique profiles, they are quickly gaining international recognition.
The Guji region receives ample rainfall and is marked by steep mountainous terrain: perfect conditions to support the vast array of coffee grown here.
Coffee in Ethiopia
While Ethiopia is famous as coffee’s birthplace, today it remains a specialty coffee industry darling for its incredible variety of flavors. While full traceability has been difficult in recent history, new regulations have made direct purchasing possible. We’re partnering directly with farmers to help them produce top quality specialty lots that are now completely traceable, adding value for farmers and roasters, alike.
The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors. The genetic diversity of coffee varieties means that we find a diversity of flavor, even between (or within) farms with similar growing conditions and processing. In addition to varieties, processing methods also contribute to end quality. The final key ingredients for excellent coffee in Ethiopia are the producing traditions that have created the genetic diversity, processing infrastructure and great coffee we enjoy today.
Most producers in Ethiopia are smallholders, and the majority continue to cultivate coffee using traditional methods. As a result, most coffee is grown with no chemical fertilizer or pesticide use. Coffee is almost entirely cultivated, harvested and dried using manual systems.