Most Ethiopian coffee exports are sourced from cooperatives or private companies that blend the harvests of multiple farms. While this streamlines operations in a country where average farm sizes are small, it also anonymizes the work of individual farmers. The Jabanto farmers group, formed in 2017, enables farmers to market their coffee to buyers directly with the support of G Broad Trading. This partnership allows them to showcase their unique lots, and gives us the privilege of tasting coffees that are truly one of a kind.

For the past few seasons, members of the Jabanto farmers group have been experimenting with processing techniques that are uncommon in Ethiopia. In a previous GEM release, we blended two distinct processes; for GEM 012, we’re highlighting just one style– honey processing– made possible by Girma Sintayehu.

Girma is a founding member of the Jabanto farmers group in the village of Biloya. He previously sold his cherries to a local cooperative and produced small amounts of natural coffee at home. When Jabanto members began experimenting with new processes, he started tweaking his methods, focusing on honey lots of the Kurume variety grown on his farms near Biloya and Debo. In this process, the ripe cherries are depulped, removing the skin and leaving the seed covered in a sticky layer of pulp called mucilage.

In a traditional washed process, the coffee would ferment in a tank (sometimes with water, but often without) until environmental yeasts and bacteria soften the mucilage, which is then washed away. However, in the honey process, the fermentation step is skipped, and the mucilage-laden, depulped coffee goes directly to raised beds for drying. This method produces a cup distinct from its washed counterparts, often softening the bright, citrusy flavors typical of Ethiopia while expressing a fuller body.

Exploring unconventional processing methods always comes with risk: limited resources, lack of experience, and uncontrollable climate conditions can lead to inconsistent results or undesirable flavors. There’s always the risk that investing time and resources into these innovations won’t pay off, especially if there isn’t a buyer for these experimental coffees. That’s why the GEM series was created–to support producer-led innovation. Girma’s honey process, and others like it, expand Ethiopia’s flavor landscape in ways we’ve never experienced before. These coffees are surprising and deeply rooted in place—distinctive profiles that could only be born in Ethiopia. Thank you for supporting our relentless pursuit of coffee perfection, from farm to cup.