Story
Tewabech Tilo, a coffee farmer in Ethiopia, cultivates coffee on an impressive 6.5 hectares of land in the Yirgacheffe region. Yirgacheffe is one of eight woredas, or districts, that collectively form the dense and highly competitive highland zone of Gedeo. The entire Gedeo zone is often referred to as Yirgacheffe due to its unparalleled fame and renown, renowned for its distinctive terroir. While most coffee lots in this area are typically around half an acre, Tewabech’s 6.5 hectares is considered exceptionally large.
Ethiopia’s coffee processing is predominantly centralized due to the lack of infrastructure at the farm level. However, larger plots like Tewabech’s offer greater personal control. This particular lot is Tewabech’s sole specialty crop, which she harvests with the assistance of seven workers. The coffee is then meticulously sorted for consistency and sundried on her property on raised beds for approximately three weeks.
In this region of Ethiopia, single-farm coffees are relatively rare. Royal, a family-owned and operated coffee importer, spearheaded the formation of the Single Farmer Lots Program. This program separates single-farmer lots from the larger cooperative blends that are typically sold anonymously through the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX). By taking direct custody of these precious coffees through direct sales, Royal has provided financial support to these farmers over the past decade. This unique micro-channel has resulted in almost unparalleled specificity and traceability in the coffee supply from Ethiopia.
In 2019, Tewabech Tilo embarked on her journey of processing and marketing her own coffee. After losing her husband 27 years ago, she raised her six children alone. All of them are now college-educated and actively contribute to supporting her and her farm. Tewabech’s coffee is managed and exported by Konga Trading PLC, a recently formed company owned by none other than the former General Manager of the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU), Takele Mammo. During his tenure at YCFCU, Takele played a pivotal role as a partner of Royal’s. Together, they successfully identified and exported single-farmer lots for the first time in the Union’s long history.
Ethiopia Tewabech Tilo
Ethiopia Tewabech Tilo
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Characteristics
Medium Light
Crisp
Clean
Dried Mango, Honeysuckle Marshmallow
Single Farmer Lots Program
Tewabech Tilo
2,000 - 2,100 MASL
Heirloom Cultivar 74158
Natural
Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
Story
Tewabech Tilo, a coffee farmer in Ethiopia, cultivates coffee on an impressive 6.5 hectares of land in the Yirgacheffe region. Yirgacheffe is one of eight woredas, or districts, that collectively form the dense and highly competitive highland zone of Gedeo. The entire Gedeo zone is often referred to as Yirgacheffe due to its unparalleled fame and renown, renowned for its distinctive terroir. While most coffee lots in this area are typically around half an acre, Tewabech’s 6.5 hectares is considered exceptionally large.
Ethiopia’s coffee processing is predominantly centralized due to the lack of infrastructure at the farm level. However, larger plots like Tewabech’s offer greater personal control. This particular lot is Tewabech’s sole specialty crop, which she harvests with the assistance of seven workers. The coffee is then meticulously sorted for consistency and sundried on her property on raised beds for approximately three weeks.
In this region of Ethiopia, single-farm coffees are relatively rare. Royal, a family-owned and operated coffee importer, spearheaded the formation of the Single Farmer Lots Program. This program separates single-farmer lots from the larger cooperative blends that are typically sold anonymously through the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX). By taking direct custody of these precious coffees through direct sales, Royal has provided financial support to these farmers over the past decade. This unique micro-channel has resulted in almost unparalleled specificity and traceability in the coffee supply from Ethiopia.
In 2019, Tewabech Tilo embarked on her journey of processing and marketing her own coffee. After losing her husband 27 years ago, she raised her six children alone. All of them are now college-educated and actively contribute to supporting her and her farm. Tewabech’s coffee is managed and exported by Konga Trading PLC, a recently formed company owned by none other than the former General Manager of the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU), Takele Mammo. During his tenure at YCFCU, Takele played a pivotal role as a partner of Royal’s. Together, they successfully identified and exported single-farmer lots for the first time in the Union’s long history.
