Malawo, Fully Washed

This beautiful coffee comes from Arbegona, one of the thirty districts (or woredas) in Ethiopia's Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region. Located in the Sidama zone, Arbegona, which is also the name of the main town, is bordered by Bona Zuria to the south, Bursa to the southwest, Gorche to the northwest, and Bensa to the east.

The cherries are harvested from small plots in the highland area, specifically in a village called Boreta. Situated at a staggering altitude of 2,200 masl, this village stands among Ethiopia's highest growing areas, earning its coffees the prestigious "Highland Coffee" designation. The area enjoys a sunny climate and is surrounded by lush vegetation. While coffee is the main cash crop, farmers also cultivate sugar cane, false banana, spices, and vegetables.

Cherries are sorted for density and quality by floating them in large water tanks. After flotation, they're transferred to African raised beds with mesh nets, where they're rotated every 30 minutes to ensure even drying and control fermentation. Drying typically takes 12-15 days, depending on temperature and humidity. Finally, the dried cherries are stored in warehouses for flavour development.

Daye Bensa Coffee was founded by brothers Assefa and Mulugeta Dukamo, coffee producers from the Bensa Sidama area of Ethiopia. Over more than 20 years in the coffee business, the company has grown into one of Ethiopia's major coffee exporters, shipping green coffee directly from its own farms and from farms of affiliated growers. It exports a range of coffees from across Ethiopia's coffee regions, spanning grades from conventional to specialty.

Mr. Asefa Dukamo Korma is the company's founder and CEO, having led its growth from a single farming operation to its current scale. Mr. Mulugeta Dukamo, co-founder of Daye Bensa Coffee, has played a key role in the company's expansion, in particular the development of its washing stations.