Driving through the highlands of Harrar in eastern Ethiopia, you’ll see box-shaped homes made of stones, sometimes with a spread of coffee cherries drying on the roofs. The landscape is rocky and dry, featuring large limestone outcroppings. It seems impossible that coffee grows here. But some of Ethiopia’s oldest and most beloved heirloom varieties grow here, tall trees that produce large beans.

Small farmers monitor their trees closely for pests and disease, and irrigate their trees once a month with mountain spring water. An average producer has around 200 trees that might yield 8 bags per season, and many supplement their income by cultivating chat, a green leaf that delivers a buzz similar to caffeine. A cash crop for local farmers, chat is chewed and enjoyed by many throughout the region.

By creating a strong partnership with our suppliers in Ethiopia and implementing additional sorting work, we were able to upgrade the quality of our Harrar coffee from Grade 4  to Grade 1. The extra sorting allows the traditional flavors of the Harrar region to shine through.

What Keffa tastes: Cherry, Hazelnut, Cocoa, & Anise