Ethiopian coffee production is profoundly influenced by the country's three main seasons. The Bega season (October-January) is the long dry period, crucial for coffee harvesting and processing. The Belg season (February-May) brings the first rains, essential for coffee flowering and early fruit development. The Krempt season (June-September) sees heavy rainstorms from the east, crucial for the later stages of coffee fruit development and ripening. By the end of September, the rains cease abruptly, allowing the coffee fruits to ripen, leading to a bustling harvest period by November.
EPHTAH
Ephtah Specialty Coffee is dedicated to building sustainable and collaborative supply chains that benefit customers, farmers, and their communities. The company emphasises promoting the role of women in the coffee industry, recognising their pivotal role in driving social and economic change in Ethiopia. Ephtah ensures quality at every stage of the shipment process, focusing on providing the highest quality green coffee beans and maintaining satisfaction among all stakeholders in the supply chain.
LALESA WASHING STATION
The Lalesa washing station is located in Gedeb, a region with a population of over 300,000 people. The area is predominantly Christian Protestant, with some Orthodox Christians, and the primary language spoken is Gedeoiniya. The community celebrates its main annual New Year festival on January 18th, and Enset (false banana) is the staple food. The Siqe river delineates the border between Gedeo, Guji, and the Southern regional state from Oromia
LOT INFORMATION
The coffee is sourced from Yirgacheffe Aricha, with Ephtah financing 80% of the production costs, while the supplier covered the remaining 20%.
Girma Tamiru, meaning "Grace Miracle", is the supplier for this coffee lot. The site, which has 200 beds, sources coffee from the Aricha area and has been operating for three years, working with Ephtah for the past two years. The farm spans 2.5 hectares, situated at an elevation around 2100 masl, with Aricha itself being around 2150 masl. The farm cultivates Heirloom coffee varieties and operates with a minimum of six permanent employees, increasing to around 100 employees during the harvest season from November to January.
The lot is sourced from Aricha, Yirgacheffe, where the coffee is grown by smallholder farmers under false banana shade trees. While the coffee is organically grown, certification is unavailable due to high verification costs. The coffee undergoes fermentation in plastic barrels for nine days, followed by a drying period of 13-18 days. It is stored in the site warehouse before being moved to Addis Ababa when ready. The processing methods are chosen to maximize the intense, juicy flavors characteristic of this coffee. Once dried and stored, the coffee is transported to Moplaco in Gerji, Addis Ababa, and then moved to Djibouti via train for export.
JOURNEY TO EXPORT
Once processed and dried, the coffee is stored at Moplaco in Gerji, Addis Ababa. From there, it is transported to Djibouti via train for export.
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Ephtah Specialty Coffee is dedicated to social and environmental projects. The company provides initial payments to farmers upon receipt of their coffee and supports them with quality premiums, second payments, and assistance with school fees. Future investment plans include expanding the Ama Commitment scheme, building a water tank for flotation, increasing the number of drying beds, and cultivating additional crops on the land to support local markets.
CHALLENGES AND FUTURE PLANS
Ephtah has undertaken several social and environmental projects associated with this coffee lot. Due to cash liquidity problems in the area, Ephtah financed the cherry purchasing. The company also donated nets for the site and focused its Ama Commitment program in Idido, which includes a handicrafts and daycare center in the town. Payments to farmers are structured with Ephtah financing 80% and the supplier covering 20%, ensuring timely compensation for the coffee produced.
The main challenge faced during this crop cycle was the unusually high levels of rainfall, which made it difficult to dry the coffee properly. Despite these challenges, the site remains committed to producing high-quality coffee and contributing to the local economy. In addition to coffee, the farmers also produce false banana, which is used to make a local food called Kocho. The Ephtah site in Aricha is poised for future investments and development, focusing on sustaining and improving the quality of coffee production in the region.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Ephtah site in Gedeb is the largest drying and washing site in the region, further underscoring the company's commitment to quality and capacity in coffee production.
- Permanent Employees: 20
- Seasonal Employees (during harvest): 250
- Drying Beds: 350
- Harvest Months: Late November - January
