The Yirgacheffe region
Coffee from Yirgacheffe is one of worlds most appreciated bean and valued because of its unique aromas and flavors. The name Yirgacheffee means ‘the settled swamp’.
Although the name Yirgacheffe is frequently used to describe the entire region, the correct topographical name of the region is Gedeo, part of the Ethiopian state Southern Nations and Nationalities People’s Region (SNNPR). Yirgacheffe is ‘just’ one the multiple woredas that you can find in the Gedeo zone. The famous woredas are Gedeb, Dilla Zuria, Bule, Yirgacheffe, Wenago, and Kochere, but there are many more of these coffee communities. And all of them produce coffee.
Learn more about the coffee communities in the Gedeo zone, the farming culture and about our farm in Risiti community.
Risiti, the place to be.
Take the road to the South, pass the city of Hawassa and you will enter the green highlands of the SNNPR. After a quick coffee stop in Dila you’re in the Gedeo coffee zone, neighboring the west side of Guji and the south side of Sidama.
The Gedeo zone is famous for its volcanic fertile landscape with breath taking views. After a day drive you’ll find the raw diamant woreda of Risiti, near to Gedeb. With coffee trees reaching 3 meters of height, covered by tropical fruit trees you know you are in the right place of getting unique coffee.
Endless friendly faces
You can distinguish the Gedeo people by their endless friendly faces and unique sun heads, made of dried grass. Although part of the SNNPR the Gedeo zone has its own language and traditions.
Most of the Gedeo people are small farmers, growing multiple crops like corn, avocados and coffee on a plot of half hectare up to 2 hectares. Sustaining living income is a high concern in the region and more and more people leave to other regions in seeking opportunities to develop.
Bette Buna - Bereti
Gedeb-Risiti
In the coffee community of Risiti you find the small friendly community of Beriti. Surrounded by mountainous hills we have a small farm at an altitude of 1850-2100 meters above sea level and work closely with dedicated partner farmers. Compared to the Guji and Bench Maji zone, the sun in day times is quite strong.
- Variety: Gedeb Heirloom, 74112
- Altitude farm: 1850-2100 MASL
- Fermentations: natural, anaerobic, washed, honey
- Employees: 63
- Harvest month: Nov-Jan
- Lot: Mentewab, 042
A day at the farm
Our coffee cherries are handpicked in the early mornings up to noon time, from late November up to half of January. The cherries are collected in the late afternoon and during the whole evening at our station and collection points. They will be measured and sorted out in our milling station in different lots for washed, honey, anaerobic and natural fermentation. All traceable up to our own farm or partner farmers.
In day times our dayshift runs the quality drying process, to make sure the beans develop equally and consistent to its maximum of flavors. We store all of our coffee in parchment or shell in grain pro bags for resting time of minimum 4 months.
Understanding our
coffee lots
We categorize our coffee lots in four groups: farm gate lots, community lots, limited lots and special sourced lots, based on unique flavors, lot size, and consistency. All traceable back to the involved farmers.
Each lot named after a person that takes in his or her own way the responsibility of creating equal opportunities in coffee communities.
Consistend specialty coffee lots. Traceable to a single Bette Buna farm and processed at our stations. Sustainable produced in both micro and macro lots.
Macro lots of multiple small holders in the coffee community, all traceable and processed at our station. Every coffee season consistent in quality. Both commercial and specialty lots.
Year to year unique and outstanding quality lots. Traceable to single farm plots. Experimental fermentation and only limited produced in nano-lots.
We believe in collaboration. Our special sourced macro lots come from partner farmers in different Ethiopian coffee zones. Committed to the Bette Buna concept.
