ETHIOPIA HUNDA OLI JAIKARO

Ethiopia sits quietly in the Horn of Africa. It is a landlocked nation bordered by six neighbours, and its southern edge meets Kenya and the highland forests that form some of the world’s most recognised coffee landscapes. Oromia is a region where coffee feels native to the soil. Decades of work have shaped its reputation for fine Arabica grown on private and public estates. Forests and rainforest stretch across the area and the tree canopies offer natural protection as coffee grows through long months of rain.

The Kata Muduga Multi-Purpose Farmer’s Cooperative Union was founded in 2016 in the Gera District of Jimma. The cooperative processes its coffee with Penagos eco-pulpers that use very little water. One hundred sixty-one members contribute to this lot, each adding their harvest and their care. Their hands and routines shape the coffee long before it reaches ours.

When the season shifts, the sun arrives in time to lift the cherries towards harvest. This slow pace of growth sets the rhythm for many producers in the region. Hunda Oli translates to “the greatest” in Oromo, the language spoken by Ethiopia’s largest ethnic community. The name reflects a quiet confidence in the land and the people who tend it.