BIFTU GUDINA

Description

TASTING NOTES  At night, when the vanilla blooms, a pretty deck of playing cards dissolves into layers of petals. The petals lie on a table in a tropical grove of peach and nectarines. Milk chocolates are served. BEHIND THE CUP There’s so much to tell you about Biftu Gudina that we could write a book. Except for the part about actually sitting down and writing it. And then spell-checking it. Don’t get us started on spell-checking. So don’t expect a book on Biftu Gudina. For the whole story, join a Sourcing Seminar at our Wembley homeroom. Meanwhile, here’s the short version: The year: 2012. The place: West Ethiopia. The characters: us; some folks from the TechnoServe international non-governmental organisation; and the neighbours that became the Biftu Gudina co-op. The setting: fertile soil, healthy plants, honest and dedicated people. Plans for a wet mill and a good road... but nothing more than plans. The background: TechnoServe advises these folks on establishing their co-op and building their wet mill. We put in our two cents (figuratively) about our quality standards; and we put in several more cents (literally) by fully funding a Harvest Assistant to help Biftu reach said standards. Flash forward to 2015: Biftu Gudina constructs a second wet mill further into the forest, attracting a few hundred neighbouring small-scale local farmers. (Sub-plot: This simultaneously improves the standard of living for members of the Biftu Gudina co-op and their neighbours.) 2016: We host the Biftu chairperson, Yazid, in Addis for his first formal lab cupping. Yazid takes his knowledge back to share with his Biftu co-op members. The cliffhanger: How will this year’s coffee taste? (Spoiler alert: It’s lovely.) NOTES FOR GEEKS Location Ethiopia Region Agaro, Jimma Cultivar Heriloom Elevation 1975 Metres Process Washed