44 North currently purchases coffee from 3 of the 6 cooperatives we visited - Homacho Waeno, Fero, and Bokasso. All three groups reported high yields and strong prices for the 2024 harvest cycle following a year of much lower prices. The farmers largest threats were high amounts of rain due to climate change and harvest seasons presenting much earlier. Challenges each coop mentioned were overall inflation and an increase in the number of private buyers who drive up prices but also can, at times, entice a coop member to sell elsewhere for price alone but without the benefit of the cooperative which include fair trade premiums, and end of season premiums, loan opportunities, and mutual support.
One of the biggest takeaways from the trip was that the individual coop farmers loved seeing their name on the coffee packaging. Some may know that we have only sold our coffee as "Ethiopia Sidama" which is the overall larger region, but within the Sidama Farmers Union there are 69 individual coops. So in respect to our farmers we will be adding the name of the smaller coop to our packaging. It is the least we can do to show a deeper respect for this incredibly labor intensive process.
We'll end here with some photos that can explain this trip better than words, but here is an Ethiopian jazz playlist to enjoy while viewing.
Of course, one flies Ethiopia air!
What a welcome! The first coop we visited placed scarfs around our necks and had palms laid out on the ground. Thank you to all at Homacho Waeno!
First coffee ceremony. Ethiopians brew their coffee often in a clay pot, rich and strong, almost syrup-like body and definitely French roasted.
We then headed to Bokasso Coop, a partner that we purchase annually from and have for years. Such an honor to present the chair of the board a bag of their coffee roasted in our method.
We enjoyed another beautiful coffee ceremony at Bokasso.
And toured the processing facilities. Had this been active harvest season, these tables would have been full with drying cherry.
Wonderful group photo at Bokasso Coop. Can anyone spy a 44 North t-shirt?
A full day was had so we headed back to our traditional accommodations at Aregash Lodge to enjoy a full moon night.
Started the day meeting the members of Howolso Coop.
Yonas Didamo, the General Manager of Howolso Coop
Enjoyed another beautiful coffee ceremony, traditionally always prepared by women of the cooperatives
Our 2nd visit of the day was to Telamo Coop. We were fed a traditional meal of dried meats, false banana, and a buttermilk drink.
Thank you for welcoming us Telamo!
We then had a wonderful visit to Fero Coop, where one of the women on the board, Miret Bua, toured us on her coffee farm
Our last visit was to Negele Gorbuitu in the Yirgacheffe region. Here we got to see the final stages of coffee sorting in action before the coffee was sent to Hawassa.
This was an incredibly special trip! In Sidama language, "Galateemmohe" and in Oromo "Galatoomi" THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
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