Ethiopia Sidamo Shantewene G1

In 2006, brothers Asefa and Mulugeta Dukamo founded Daye Bensa, a coffee grower and exporter in Ethiopia. Daye Bensa exports beans from its farm, in the Shantawene Village, and from "out-growers" in three villages: Shantawene, Karamo and Bombe.

This Shantawene coffee is named after the village, where the majority of the people, many of them women, work on the coffee farm. Daye Bensa is at 1,900–2,217 meters, and the delivered cherry from comes from out-growers' farms higher up the mountain, between 2,000 and 2,400 meters.

Daye Bensa owns 15 washing stations across three districts that handle all the coffee they export. All farms are certified in organic and C.A.F.E. practices and are working on additional certifications.

In July 2018, the company hosted an Out-Growers Day. Nearly 1,000 farmers gathered to celebrate their harvests and to receive second payments for their coffee cherry contributions. Daye Bensa additionally rewarded the top three farmers from each of the three villages with certificates and cash prizes, recognizing them for consistently delivering high-quality cherries.

Going forward, Daye Benesa is hoping to work with more farmers, to particularly encourage women farmers and to work with Hawassa University, to help students perform research to improve coffee quality.

Cupping notes: Melon, berries, lemon, milk chocolate, delicate rose. (3/29/18)
