Coffee Story
This year, our limited summer blend pairs an incredible naturally processed Ethiopian coffee from the Dumerso washing station in the acclaimed Yirgacheffe Region with a washed field blend from Honduras' Comayagua region.
Ethiopia Dumerso Natural
Ethiopia Dumerso Natural is a blend of local landraces and JARC cultivars grown by local smallholder farmers at breathtaking altitudes of over 1,960 meters above sea level in the charming area of Dumerso, nestled in Yirgacheffe. In this zone, coffee is the heart of the community, making up over 90% of local families’ incomes. At the Dumerso washing station, sisters Mahder and Hirut Berhanu take pride in overseeing the coffee growing and processing to ensure the Natural lots reflect the inherently beautiful flavours for which the renowned Yirgacheffe region is known.
Hirut and Mahder have over 20 years of hands-on experience in coffee production. They took over the Dumerso washing station in 2010, breathing new life into a place that had been closed for years since its construction in 1998. Since they reopened in 2013, they have been committed to producing exceptional, value-added coffees.
Each cherry is handpicked with care, ensuring that only the ripest, reddest fruits reach the Dumerso washing station. Once they arrive, the cherries are thoroughly inspected and spread out on raised beds to dry. The team works diligently, raking the cherries frequently to guarantee they dry evenly. They even cover the cherries during the hottest parts of the day and overnight to prevent any moisture build-up. All of this hard work leads to a drying process that takes about 14 to 21 days.
Honduras Sueños de Buena Vista
This field blend of Parainema & IH90 is grown in Buena Vista in the beautiful Comayagua region of Honduras by three smallholder producers Lesli Inestroza, Elsie Livercita and Dyvin Arnaldo. Once picked at peak ripeness from the producers' farms, the cherries are floated to remove damaged or underripe seeds and are de-pulped on the same day. The de-pulped coffee undergoes dry fermentation for 30 hours in concrete tanks or plastic barrels placed in the shade. After fermentation, it is washed with clean water and then dried on raised beds inside solar dryers for an average of 25 days.
Our inspiring long-time importer, Semilla, operates in small villages along the Montecillos mountain range in La Paz and Comayagua, where coffee cultivation has long been the primary income for these smallholder communities of growers and producers. Unfortunately, as is the case in these regions, small-scale producers often sell their coffee cherries to intermediaries, receiving low prices that hinder reinvestment in their farms, families, and community. Many struggle to cover labour costs, forcing some to sell their land or migrate to cities or the U.S.
The rural farming community faces challenges like land loss due to foreign investments in livestock and agriculture, exacerbating economic inequality in Honduras. Semilla aims to change that and establish sustainable prices through open discussions with growers, ensuring they can invest in quality coffee to support their livelihoods. By prioritizing direct relationships with specialty roasters like us around the world, we send funds straight to smallholder communities, allowing them to utilize resources as they see fit.
