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 Guji appellation was during long time included in the one of Sidama. In order to better identify the quality of the coffees produced here, this name was separated a few years ago by the Ethiopian authorities who created this new appellation. Their goal was to emphasize the traceability of ethiopian coffees and to reveal more again their quality and their cupping specificities. Now, Guji appellation gives some of the best coffees in the world. In Guji, coffee is an ancient crop, cultivated within a complex forest environment. The diversity of endemic species provides optimal shade for coffee trees and improves soil fertility.

Harrar is a historic appellation with a beautiful landscape where coffee trees are planted in orchards and grown alongside other crops. Coffee has declined here in favour of the more profitable qats. Although this appellation is becoming increasingly rare, it remains popular for its unique cup. Harrar is a rich, fruity coffee with a medium acidity. In the cup, the aromas of leather and dried fruit create a beautiful harmony.

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.