ETHIOPIA - TAFERI KELA

Taferi Kela, Sidamo, Ethiopia 

We’re proud to share this remarkable coffee from Taferi Kela, a small village in the Sidamo region of Ethiopia. It reaches us through our partners at Bette Buna, whose work in this community goes far beyond coffee.

Rooted in Community

“Bette Buna” translates to House of Coffee and that name reflects the role this family-run company plays in Taferi Kela. When Grandfather Syoum and Grandmother Emame entrusted Dawit and Hester with the family farm, they passed on more than land; they passed on a responsibility to uplift their village.
Despite sharing a mountain range with well-known Sidama producers, Taferi Kela has long been overlooked. No other industry operates here—making Bette Buna’s work essential for economic opportunity and stability.

Building Sustainable Livelihoods

Coffee is a cornerstone of Ethiopia’s economy, yet most people who grow it earn far below a livable income. Bette Buna is changing that—starting at the farm level.

They work directly with local growers to:

• Rebuild healthy soil and restore agro-forestry systems

• Improve cherry selection and harvesting practices

• Ensure farmers earn more through higher-yield, better-quality cherries

One of their most impactful initiatives is their yearly distribution of over 350,000 climate-resilient coffee seedlings. Once mature, each seedling brings farmers an average of $2 in annual income—adding up to more than $650,000 in economic impact each year. In a region where most families of nine live on less than $50 a month, this is transformational.

Fair Work and Full Transparency

Bette Buna is also an equal-opportunity employer—rare in an agrarian culture where meaningful work can be difficult to access for people with disabilities or single parents. Their nursery is staffed by deaf employees, people with disabilities, and mothers who need flexible work to support their families.

And the transparency? Almost unheard of in Ethiopia. Every lot is fully traceable, from the farmers who picked the cherries to the team who processed and milled the coffee. This ensures fair wages, accountability, and consistency—and supports readiness for EUDR compliance.

About This Lot

Grown by community farmers in Taferi Kela and processed at the Bette Buna washing station, this lot is a beautiful example of a classic washed Ethiopian coffee.

Processing details:

• Depulped and fermented 24–36 hours, depending on temperature

• Fermentation in water-topped concrete basins (low oxygen, but not fully anaerobic)

• Thorough washing with floaters and defects removed

• Dried 8–15 days on raised, covered beds

• Rested in a warehouse to stabilize and reach ideal moisture levels