Feature Filter: Bombe | Ethiopia
Key origin info:
Producer: Small-holder farmers. from Bombe, Shantawene and Keramo communities
Processed at: Bombe station owned and managed by Daye Bensa
Region: Sidama
Altitude: around 2200 masl
Varietal: Local landrace varieties
Process: Natural, dried over 25 days under shade on raised beds
Exporter: Daye Bensa | Importer: Falcon Speciality
Cup profile: Jamm body, strawberry & passionfruit
More about Bombe & Daye Bensa:
This coffee takes its name from Bombe Mountains where most of the producers contributing to this lot are based. The coffee is grown and harvested by small-holder farmer communities and processed at the Bombe washing station. The station is owned and managed by Daye Bensa, an exporting company founded and run by brothers with a coffee farming background, Asefa and Mulugeta Dukamo. Daye Bensa is very much a community-focussed business that aims to deliver additional bonus payment to the farmers based on the volume they contribute to their station micro-lots, and they reward consistency in both volume and quality to their farmers year after year.
Traceability is extremely important during the production of micro lots. The record-keeping book is carefully handled and separation of lots is key to guaranteeing the highest level of quality. When the cherries are received they are separated by village, the coffee is then kept separate throughout drying, processing, and storage, with labels stating the delivery dates, farm name, lot number, and more details related to the particular lot. They also run an out-growers program that benefits farmers with an off-season payment on top of the harvest fee and have been active in working to improve the farmers’ living situations and standards, with healthcare access, utilities, education and transport infrastructure. Additionally, Daye Bensa are working with the school principals in the villages surrounding the farms, providing basic school materials for the students.
The Bombe station is very well managed by a team including Asefa’s son Kenean and Atkilt Dejene, an expert agronomist and Eyasu Bekele, a processing specialist. This particular lot has been shade dried in cherry under a mesh canopy stretching the drying to 25 days during which the coffee is moved regularly to ensure it is dried evenly. The resulting cup is filled with strawberry and tropical fruit tastiness! The coffee is also organic certified.
Having enjoyed delicious washed lots from Bombe over the last couple of year we were over the moon to see a natural from there this year. It completely stole the show on the blind cupping table when we first tried the pre-ship samples and it sure delivers now. Absolute stunner of an Ethiopian natural. If you like those floral and tropical vibes, fill your boots!
Big thanks to Daye Bensa and Falcon for this coffee and traceability information.