Yukro is sourced from 579 smallholder farmers in Ethiopia’s Agaro region in Oromia, Jimma Zone. This washed process example offers a light, tea-like cup with graham cracker sweetness and vibrant lemon acidity.

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Jimma is divided into several woredas (districts) and kebeles (communities) with washing stations throughout—each offering unique terroir. The Wanja Kersa kebele is home to the Yukro washing station, which was founded in 1977. Yukro is famously known in the coffee industry for producing some of the best coffees in all of Ethiopia. Their success was supported by the TechnoServe organization, whose mission is to alleviate poverty through improvements in coffee production. Yukro was focused on natural processed coffees until a loan was secured to finance the equipment for producing high quality washed coffee. The cooperative now operates independently, with periodic visits from Technoserve agronomists who make sure operations are running smoothly.

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This coffee grows in a semi-forest farming system on smallholder farms ranging between 1 and 20 hectares. The plants thrive in their natural conditions, surrounded by evergreen jungle forests with fertile sandy loam. High elevation and abundant rainfall in this area support healthy coffee production without the need for fertilizers. Coffee cherries are immediately processed after collection using the eco-friendly Penagos 1500 depulping machine. The mucilage is mechanically removed after 12 hours of fermentation. Early in the morning, the coffee is placed on shaded beds for 3-4 hours to initiate the drying process. Drying continues for 6-7 days on raised beds with frequent rotation to promote air circulation.

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Ethiopia is widely acknowledged as the birthplace of coffee, and coffee production represents about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product. Over 60 distinct varieties grow in Ethiopia, making it home to the most coffee biodiversity of any region in the world. The traditions of coffee production in Ethiopia coupled with the highly political nature of the Ethiopian coffee trade make it almost impossible to get single variety coffee lots from Ethiopia. While this is slowly changing, the vast majority of coffees are blends, and referred to simply as “Heirloom” or “Ethiopian Landrace.”

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