Ethiopia Shantawene Natural

Coffee Story
Ethiopia Shantawene is grown by smallholder farmers who employ traditional farming methods, hand-picking ripe cherries during the harvest season at 2260 MASL in the famous Bensa, Sidama, in the village of Shantawene. Shantawene village is nestled between the villages of Bombe and the majestic Bombe mountain. As is common in much of Ethiopia, the local growers in this area are primarily smallholders, known as "garden farmers." This term reflects their practice of cultivating coffee in the garden areas surrounding their homes. Additionally, many of these producers harvest coffee cherries from trees that naturally grow on their land, highlighting the region's rich coffee heritage.  



The Arabica cultivar is native to the montane rainforests of southwest Ethiopia. This part of the country is known for its rich genetic diversity of Arabica coffee. The annual rainfall in Shantawene village typically ranges from 1,195 to 1,980 mm, significantly contributing to the lush vegetation and fertile soil conducive to coffee cultivation. The alternating rainy seasons play a crucial role in providing the necessary moisture for coffee plants to thrive and produce high-quality cherries.

In Bensa, coffee is primarily cultivated by smallholder producers using traditional methods, including hand-picking ripe cherries during the harvest. The cherries are meticulously processed at the washing station. For this natural lot, the processing involves density sorting, hand sorting on drying tables, and prolonged drying under the Ethiopian sun to achieve optimal moisture levels. Once processed, the coffee is dry-hulled, bagged, and transported to Addis Ababa for milling and export.