Admasu Arago
We first connected with Admasu Arago through his uncle, Mullugeta Muntasha, who has been a partner since 2022. Admasu is a father and second-generation coffee farmer. While he obtained his export license in 2019, our purchase from him in 2024 marked his first-ever direct export. Before this milestone, Admasu sold coffee from his farm and drying station in Shigasho, Shantawane Kebele, to private washing stations and dried cherry collectors. Although small farm, direct export lots have recently gained popularity, sourcing coffee directly from individual growers has always been a cornerstone of our passion in Ethiopia. From the beginning, we’ve wondered how to make a more substantial, direct impact on individual farmers, even as massive co-ops dominated the landscape.
Ethiopia and the Boma Plateau in Sudan are the birthplace of Coffea arabica. The region is home to numerous locally named varieties, often referred to as Ethiopian Heirloom Cultivars. These varieties are the product of generations of farmers selecting the strongest, healthiest plants with the best production and using them as “mother trees”—a term Ethiopian farmers use for trees chosen to provide seedlings.
In recent years, however, many farmers have started planting selections developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC). These selections are derived from local landraces, chosen specifically to suit Ethiopia’s diverse agro-forestry zones. Unlike hybrids, JARC varieties are carefully refined selections. They are identified by numerical designations, such as 74110 and 74114, and can produce exceptional cup quality when cultivated in the appropriate zone.
Tastes Like: Nectarine, Molasses, Cherry