The story behind Guji Alaka Gr1 Natural
The Hambela woreda (district) is in the Guji Zone, about 300-400km south of the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. Guji is named after the Guji people, a subset of the Oromo tribe, who have been settled in the region for millennia. The Guji people were historically cattle ranchers, but today the majority of Guji people are coffee farmers.
Our supplier for this lot, YKM Coffee Trading, has three generations of coffee growers over 54 years, starting before any coffee processing machines were used in the country. Now they operate 3 washing stations and 6 sun-drying stations in Yirgacheffe, Guji, Gedeb, and Sidamo, and they are one of the largest exporters in Ethiopia.
Our Grade 1 Natural is grown between 1500-2000 meters above sea level and is processed at the Hambela sun-drying station from neighboring smallholder farms in the Alaka village. Grade 1 is the highest quality offered in Ethiopia and as such only ripe cherries are selected, and they are meticulously sorted to reduce defect. This leads to a vibrant and complex cup with lots of florals, tropical fruits, eucalyptus, and sweet honey flavors.
Download Guji Alaka Gr1 Natural Info Sheet