We’re getting about 25 different coffees from our Ethiopian partners Bette Buna this year, so we’ve decided to name a few lots after one of the people who worked on producing it, exporting it, or contributing to social work at Bette Buna.
This one is named for Mersha, Dawit Syoum's father and farm/nursery manager extraordinaire (pictured above, left). Known for his kindness and sense of humour, Mersha uses his position as Taferi Kela community leader to empower everyone around him. He manages the day-to-day of Bette Buna's Sidamo farm and coffee plant nursery, giving special attention to employees who need extra care or help. Once skeptical about the power of coffee to change communities, he now loves to teach and motivate as many people as he can in good coffee farming practices.
This stunning 'Mersha' lot is redolent with big floral notes of coffee blossom, coffee cherry, and sweet-tart strawberry. This lot was air-freighted in, so it's an extra special treat: you won't normally encounter Ethiopian coffee this fresh, since it usually arrives by ship! This tastes like the coffee fruit and flower itself ... it's your chance to experience what coffee buyers taste when they go to Ethiopia.
For a bit more about Bette Buna, check out our blog post here or read on below ...
Betta Buna was founded by partners Hester Westerveld-Syoum and Dawit Syoum when they inherited their grandfather’s tiny family farm in Taferi Kela, Sidamo. With a background in NGO and development work, they decided to grow and scale the farm as the foundation for a larger company with greater impact.
Having started in 2019, they have already grown considerably. They have expanded the Taferi Kela farm from 2 to 50 hectares and have spread to a second 50-hectare farm in Megadu, Guji. Both farms have tree nurseries where climate change-resistant varietals are grown to share with surrounding farmers. Similarly, they have facilities where they not only process their own lots but also educate other farmers in processing techniques, while their Coffee Campus programme provides training in roasting, brewing, and even exporting. They provide countless opportunities for their farming communities by not only teaching and motivating farmers but also hiring local workers at their nurseries and mills, including single mothers and disabled people who would struggle to find employment elsewhere. They also work hard to incorporate sustainable farming methods, rewild forests on their land, and protect local wildlife to promote ecosystem health for coming generations.
This lot began with carefully sorted cherries placed in hermetic barrels or high-capacity bags to create a low-oxygen environment, promoting anaerobic fermentation. It was then fermented for 96 hours before continuing processing.
We're proud to support Bette Buna and plan to partner with them for many years to come.
Elevation: 2100 MASL
Varietal: Enat Buna, 74158, 74112
Cup score: 90
Price paid per kg: £24
Process: Dry Anaerobic Natural
