Origin

Uraga, Guji Zone, Oromia

Guji, located in the Oromia Region of southern Ethiopia, has emerged over the past two decades as a distinct specialty coffee origin. Before the early 2000s, Guji coffees were often marketed under the broader Sidama or Yirgacheffe names, obscuring the zone's unique terroir and producer contributions. The Uraga woreda, home to Yabitu Koba, boasts altitudes between 2,100 and 2,400 masl, among the highest coffee-growing elevations globally.

In this region, coffee grows as garden or forest coffee, semi-wild beneath natural canopies, in deep red clay soils rich with centuries of decomposed organic matter. Recognized as the birthplace of Coffea arabica, Ethiopia's Guji zone features ancient heirloom landraces, representing some of the most genetically diverse expressions of the species.

The high altitude and cool overnight temperatures slow cherry maturation, resulting in dense beans with layered fruit character, making Uraga coffees highly coveted in the specialty market. Enhanced traceability through washing stations like Yabitu has allowed for proper credit to be given to the smallholder farmers behind these exceptional lots, establishing Uraga as one of the most sought-after sub-origins within Ethiopia's specialty coffee landscape.