Archive: Ethiopia Wanja Kersa Espresso

This community lot is the result of the combined harvests of smallholder farmers in the Wanja Kersa Kebele (village), located in the Jimma zone of western Ethiopia. The coffee is processed at the Atoma washing station, also known as Telila Site 2. Atoma had its first full season of operation during 2022-2023, but despite being new, it is in skilled and experienced hands. The station is the second established by renowned specialty coffee producer and agronomist Mike Mamo, following the success of the Telila station.

The primary coffee variety in this lot is ’74112,’ a selection developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) for its high yield potential and resistance to coffee berry disease. Originally identified and selected from the Illubabor forest in the 1970s, the 74112 variety, along with other JARC selections, has become one of Ethiopia’s most widely cultivated coffee varieties. And with good reason—this coffee is clean, bright and beautifully balanced. The high-altitude growing conditions contribute to excellent seed density, which we roast with precision to achieve enough development for espresso while preserving the delicate nuances we love in coffee from this region.