Coffee from Ethiopia’s Guji Zone would be profoundly different without the influence of Suke Quto Farm. Ato Tesfaye Bekele is one of the early pioneers who helped bring Guji specialty coffees to international attention. He founded Suke Quto in the aftermath of a series of devastating bushfires between 1997 and 1999. While many locals hoped to convert the burned land into fields for crops and grazing, Tesfaye envisioned something else entirely.

As a conservationist, he believed the land should be reforested in a way that also created sustainable livelihoods for the community. He began by distributing coffee seedlings to neighboring farmers, eventually establishing his own nursery. When he couldn’t find a manager willing to care for young coffee plants that wouldn’t produce fruit for four to five years, Tesfaye made a bold decision: he left his job and became a full-time coffee farmer.

Tesfaye Bekele’s unconventional path into coffee is what brings us this beautiful washed lot. Today, he and the 171 outgrowers who deliver to his washing station work in partnership with Trabocca to produce exceptional coffees that are organic and Rainforest Alliance–certified. The result is a cup that highlights the floral, fruity character that has made Guji coffees so beloved.

ESPRESSO

• 18g In / 27g Out (1:1.5 ratio)
• 24-26 seconds (adj. to taste)
• 200 Fahrenheit
• 9 Bar

BREWED COFFEE

17g per water/ 1g of coffee (adj. to desired brew strength)