Ethiopia Kolla Bocha

We're very excited about our new single origin offering, Kolla Bolcha, via our wonderful partners at Red Fox Coffee Merchants. An exceptional Ethiopian coffee, Kolla Bolcha came about partially because of the investment of the nonprofit organization Technoserve. Ten years ago, the Agaro region where Kolla Bolcha is grown was not known for high-quality coffee. What changed?

With the help of Technoserve, the farmers in Agaro were able to purchase a Penagos coffee pulper and began to adopt a washed process for their beans, rather than the natural process they used previously. The end result of the collaboration between the Ethiopian farmers and Technoserve is the coffee we enjoy today.

The farmers of the Agaro region are far from the only coffee growers who have benefitted from the assistance of Technoserve, which is why we'd like to highlight this exceptional organization and give consumers an awareness of who they are and what they do.

Technoserve was founded by American businessman and philanthropist Ed Bullard in 1968, while he was volunteering in Ghana. He realized that by providing underprivileged producers with access to funding and information (i.e. giving them access to the privileges he himself enjoyed) they would be fully capable of producing high-value products on their own. 

Ed's intuition proved to be correct. Since the organization's founding, Technoserve has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of producers in developing countries through training, funding, and market access. The organization has focused much of its effort toward empowering women in particular.

So successful has Technoserve been at achieving its mission, that in February of 2020, it was awarded the National Coffee Association's Charity of the Year award. Additionally, major nonprofit watchdogs Charity Navigator and GuideStar have consistently rated Technoserve highly. Technoserve also partners and coordinates with other aid organizations, notably USAID.

Snowy Owl is proud to recognize the efforts of Technoserve and to serve coffee that has been facilitated in part through their efforts.

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Edido Washed - Olam

Subregion: Yirgacheffe

Wet Mill: Edido – managed by Abdulmejid Jibril

Process: Washed

Growing Altitude: 1800-2200masl

Flavor Notes: Lemon tea, strawberry, florals

This grade 1 washed coffee comes from the Edido washing station in the Yirgacheffe district of Ethiopia which is managed by Abdulmejid Jibril. There are 650 smallholder farmers that contribute to this station, bringing in their ripest cherries. All of these farms are located between 1,800-2,200 meters above sea level in the surrounding area. Washing stations like this give small scale coffee farmers the opportunity to sell their coffee to larger markets. Ethiopia is known as the birthplace of coffee, and Yirgacheffe is known specifically for producing high quality coffee. With the combination of high altitude, fertile soil, consistent and plentiful rains, and the locals’ proficiency in coffee growing, it has ideal growing conditions. Coffee thrives in the rich environment that the forests in this area provide. 

Ethiopia Gelana Abaya Natural - Olam

Mill: Gelana Abaya dry mill, managed by Alemu Bukato

Region: Doko Chere Kebel, Gelana Abaya

Process: Natural

Altitude: 1,800-2,000 masl

Rainfall: 1,800-2,000 millimeters per year

Varietal: Indigenous heirloom 

Flavor Notes: Red fruit, Honey, Jam

This grade 1 coffee is processed at the Gelana Abaya dry mill in the Doko Chere Kebel region of Ethiopia, which is managed by Alemu Bukato. 750 small scale farmers from the surrounding area bring their coffee to this mill to be dry processed. Each farmer has an average of 2 hectares of land to grow their coffee, with a harvest period between October and January. With 1,800-2,000 millimeters of rainfall each year and its naturally fertile soil, this region is ideal for growing coffee. This indigenous heirloom varietal is unique to this region and can be found growing in the wild. The coffees produced in this subregion of Yirgacheffe are known for their complex flavor and when processed naturally they have a juicy, jam-like flavor with a creamy body. 

Ethiopia Sidamo Nansebo

Region: Sidamo

Growing Altitude: 1600 meters 

Arabica Varietals: Heirloom

Process: Washed

Suggested Brew Ratio: 1:15

Our newest Ethiopian offering is a Grade 1, wet-processed coffee from the Nansebo Washing Station, which is located in the Sidamo region of Ethiopia. Offering a consistent and clean cup with warm notes of orange, chocolate, and a touch of lime, this Sidamo coffee is perfect for a daily morning brew; or try it via Aeropress for a smooth, rich cup!

Organic Ethiopian Amaro

Growing Altitude: 1100m
Process: natural, sun-dried
Varietals: Indigenous Arabica
Suggested Brew Ratio: 1 to 15 

This dry-processed coffee from the Sidamo region is a smooth balance of banana, strawberry, chocolate and nuanced florals notes. Asnakech Thomas operates the only female-owned mill in Ethiopia. Thomas is known to be exceptionally selective in the coffee she accepts into her processing mill, and she is responsible for growing the coffee sector from 5 growers to 17,000 in her region. Her investment and commitment to her community is exhibitied in the many hours of technical assistance and training she offers to teach best practices and impart specialty coffee growing knowledge to growers in her community . This dry-processed coffee is considered bold by nature and has a full-mouth feel.