Producer: Lalesa drying station/Ephtah Specialty Coffee
Region: Gedeb, Gedeo
Variety: Heirloom
Process: Natural
Altitude: 2200 masl
Harvested: 2025
 
Cupping notes: Hints of coconut, bergamot, stone fruit, red fruit, and grapefruit.
 
This coffee comes from the Lalesa drying station in Gedeb, one of the most well-known coffee-producing areas in Ethiopia. The station is part of Ephtah Specialty Coffee, a company focused on building more transparent and sustainable supply chains, with a strong emphasis on supporting farmers and increasing the role of women within the coffee sector.
 
Lalesa is a relatively new site, established in 2023, but already one of the largest and most structured in the region, with around 350 drying beds and a large network of smallholder farmers contributing cherries during harvest. Coffee here is grown under natural shade, often alongside enset (false banana), which is a staple crop in the area.
 
What stands out in this project is not just the scale, but the level of organisation behind it. Farmers are paid in stages, with quality premiums and additional support, and part of the work is focused on long-term community impact, including initiatives that directly support women working in coffee.
 
Transparency.
What we paid:
-Coffee: 13.55€/Kg
-Shipping: 0.53€/Kg
-Packaging, labelling and sorting: 2€
Quantity bought: 210 Kg