Located at an impressive 2000 masl, the Chelchele washing station is found in the Gedeb district in the south of the renowned Yirgacheffe coffee region. The district has 2 rainy seasons, from February to May and again from July to October. Coffee trees flower between February and April, and the harvesting season runs from October to January. The station is able to process up to a million coffee cherries annually, delivered by local smallholders, and offers both natural and washed processing methods across approximately 2.2 hectares. It boasts a well-developed infrastructure, featuring 150 drying beds and 14 standard fermentation and washing tanks.
Our import partners Nordic Approach sourced this coffee through Tadesse Desta Business Group, a leading name in Ethiopian coffee exporting. They pride themselves on their reputation for quality, and their subsequent impact on the industry and socioeconomic growth. By overseeing the whole process, from sourcing to preparation, they are able to guarantee the highest grade coffee possible. Nordic Approach categorise their Ethiopian coffee offering by colour - ‘kelloo’ means yellow in the local Oromiffa language, and alludes to the flavours you can expect to find in the cup, such as tropical notes and stone fruit.
Seasonal buying is about seeing coffee as a crop not a commodity, buying in harmony with the growing seasons to enjoy coffee at its best. This kind of buying has always been the backbone of our business and it’s something we’ve improved and refined every year.
