Bekele Yutute: Ethiopia • Natural • Heirloom

Our first coffee from Ethiopia this year marks a triumphant return to form for the region, with this stunner coming from award-winning producer Bekele Yutute in Kokose, Sidamo

Bekele Yutute manages three coffee farms in the Bensa Woreda region of Sidama: Dambi, Kokose, and Murago. This coffee comes from his Kokose farm, situated at the highest altitude on an open mountainside, at 2,345 meters above sea level. Due to its altitude, this farm is often covered by clouds, allowing it to remain at a cool and consistent temperature. 

It is only thanks to the work of Mecota Trading that we can share Bekele’s coffee with the world. Established in 2023, Mecota Trading supports small, regional farmers by consolidating micro-lots to be viable for export. Traditionally, smaller producers such as Bekele would have to sell at fixed prices to the Ethiopian Coffee Exchange, which often obscures traceability by bundling and blending lots for export. Mecota Trading works closely with its farmers during production, offering guidance on techniques to improve quality, allowing farmers to demand higher prices for their coffees. Bekele’s commitment to high-quality farming and the work of Mecota Trading has quickly been recognised, earning 5th place in the 2021 Cup of Excellence (CoE) and 3rd place in the 2024 CoE with his coffees.

Ethiopia is unparalleled in its coffee diversity, with estimates upwards of 10,000 unique varietals growing in the country. Most coffees are categorised into Heirloom or Landrace varieties, of which there are many subvarieties, with this coffee being a subvariety known as JARC 74110. Cultivated by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC), Bekele Yutute began growing this coffee in 2021 due to its resistance to coffee berry disease and its classic, floral, fruit-forward flavour profile.

Due to the lack of a local washing and drying station, Bekele Yutute manually processes all of his coffee. This coffee has undergone a traditional natural process, commonly utilised across Ethiopia. After harvest, the cherries are sorted and floated to remove any that are defective or unripe before being dried in the sun on raised African beds. Here they are regularly turned and monitored for up to 6 weeks until fully dry with a moisture content of 10-12%. Once dry, the cherries are de-pulped using a hand mill, and their husks are removed. 

Traceability: Bekele Yutute < Kokose < Sidamo < Ethiopia

Process: Natural

Varietal: Heirloom 74110

Tasting Notes: Blueberry, Black Grape, Jasmine