Ethiopia

Arsi is a region of the Ethiopian highlands culminating in Mount Chilaro and Mount Gugu. The terrain forms the southern end of the Great Rift Valley between the Bale Massif and the Amhar Mountains. To the northwest, the province is bordered by the Great Rift Valley and its lakes, notably Lake Coca and Lake Ziway on the Awash River.  

The origins of coffee in Guji go back several centuries, with wild varieties growing naturally in the region's forests. Local communities, mainly of the Oromo ethnic group, used coffee in their traditional practices long before it was commercially exploited. 

For a long time, the Guji appellation was included in the Sidama appellation. In order to better distinguish the quality of the coffee produced here, this designation was separated by the Ethiopian authorities in the 2000s. This new designation makes it possible to refine the traceability of Ethiopian coffees and, above all, to better reflect their quality in terms of taste and typicality in the cup. 

Today, the Guji appellation produces some of the finest coffees in the world. Coffee here is an ancient crop, grown on hilly plateaus in a dense forest or semi-forest environment, where the diversity of endemic species provides optimal shade for the coffee trees and contributes to the fertility of the soil.

The Harrar region, in eastern Ethiopia, is characterised by its high plateaux and hills with a semi-arid climate. This historic area is famous not only for its fortified town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also for its unique coffee. Harrar coffee is renowned for its rich aroma, fruity notes and balanced acidity, offering a remarkable harmony of leather and dried fruit aromas in the cup. 

Harrar's coffee heritage is deeply rooted in local culture, with growing and processing practices handed down through generations. 

These traditional methods contribute to the signature flavour of the region's coffee. Although Harrar's economy remains largely dependent on coffee production, the sector has seen a decline in recent years, facing competition from the more lucrative qat crop. Despite its increasing scarcity, Harrar coffee retains its popularity thanks to its organoleptic profile. 

Coffee production in Harrar is mainly carried out by small family farms in a magnificent landscape where coffee trees are planted in orchards and grown alongside other crops.

Jimma is a land of coffee origins. This appellation benefits from a rich natural environment where coffee grows mainly in the shade of large endemic trees, in the heart of the forests. The coffee produced here offers fine quality cups and an inspiring agricultural model. Yet this appellation has been a little slow to join the international speciality coffee scene. The work of local producers and the organisation of these coffee growers has revealed the potential of Jimma coffees, ensuring traceability and quality.

Well-known for its natural biodiversity and Arabica coffee, Kaffa has been designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. Tropical forests cover most of Kaffa. It is said that the Kaffa people of south-west Ethiopia were the first to cultivate coffee. The administrative town is known as Bonga. 

The best-known varieties, originally from Kaffa, are Geisha and Wush wush. A little anecdote: the village of Buni (Decha district of Kaffa) is said to have given rise to the Amharic word Buna or Arabic Bun, meaning coffee. This region is famous for its spices (pepper, maniguette, etc.) and honey. A product which, like coffee, is closely associated with high-altitude tropical forests.

The area covered by the Sidama appellation is very large, stretching over 500 km: the coffees have very different profiles! Sidama is the name of the appellation, but above all it is the name of the people of southern Ethiopia. Sidamo is a negative term used by people from the north to refer to the Sidama people of the south.

The Yirgacheffe appellation covers a limited area. It is characterised by low production volumes but high perceived quality. Yirgacheffe is the name of a town with a population of several tens of thousands. The production areas are Yirgacheffe, Kochéré, Wenago and Gelena Abaya.