Yirgacheffe Gelchu Kindu G1, Ethiopia, Natural
- Regular price
- $20.00
- Sale price
- $20.00
- Regular price
-
- Unit price
- per
Dried berry, lime and earl grey tea
New in
COFFEE PROFILE
Notes of dried berries and a lime-like acidity are the standout flavours of this Natural processed Ethiopian coffee, which finishes with a bergamot note akin to Earl Grey tea.
| TASTES LIKE | Dried berry, lime and earl grey tea |
| ROAST | Filter |
Story
Yirgacheffe Gelchu Kindu G1 Natural is a testament to community collaboration, produced by smallholder families in the Gedeo Zone of southern Ethiopia, within the renowned Yirgacheffe area. These families cultivate coffee in traditional ""garden coffee"" systems, where tiny plots are nestled under native forest shade and intercropped with food crops like enset and maize. These are not large estates – rather, they are household farms relying on family labour, with agricultural knowledge passed down through generations. Each family is responsible for managing the pruning, shade, soil health, and selective hand-picking of their coffee. During the harvest, ripe cherries are delivered in small daily quantities to the processing facilities. The Gelchu Kindu lot represents the collective effort of many families, offering a genuine expression of the community rather than a single producer.
| PRODUCER | Various smallholder farmers |
| REGION | Yirgacheffe, Gedeo Zone |
| VARIETAL | Heirloom |
| PROCESS | Natural |
| ALTITUDE | 1950-2300 masl |
Origin
Yirgacheffe, Gedeo Zone, Ethiopia
Coffee cultivation in the Yirgacheffe and Gedeo highlands, including the area associated with Gelchu Kindu, is deeply rooted in one of the world's oldest continuous coffee-growing cultures. This region, part of the natural homeland of Coffea arabica, saw coffee originally grow wild in forest ecosystems long before human cultivation. Over centuries, local communities domesticated these forest coffees, integrating them into small garden farming systems instead of large plantations. Coffee trees were traditionally grown under native shade alongside food crops, preserving biodiversity and allowing families to balance subsistence farming with income from coffee.
For much of the twentieth century, coffees from this southern Ethiopian region were traded under broad names like Sidamo, with specific identities like Yirgacheffe and Gedeb not clearly distinguished in export markets. However, as washed processing stations expanded and quality differentiation became vital, the region's distinctive high-altitude profile gained attention. Over time, Yirgacheffe and its surrounding districts have been recognized as distinct premium origins, built on generations of smallholder cultivation, traditional agroforestry systems, and an increasing focus on quality and traceability.
