This coffee comes from the Worka Chelbesa kebele, a vibrant village in the Gedeb woreda, produced by smallholder farmers and processed at one of SNAP Specialty Coffee’s wet mills, operated by the dedicated Negusse Debela. Negusse oversees two wet mills in Worka Chelbesa, including this one in the Danche sub-area. Here, he processes Washed, Natural, and experimental lots, continuously striving to enhance the quality of the final product.

Worka Chelbesa, located in the southernmost part of the Gedeo zone, is renowned for its lush semi- forest environment. The area’s dense vegetation, including Ensete trees and other shade plants, creates the perfect conditions for cultivating shade-grown coffee. The Danche washing station, situated in the Worka hills, is the largest growing area in Gedeb and sources cherries from approximately 600 local farmers. These farmers, whose plots range from 0.5 to 2 hectares and are situated at altitudes between 1925 and 2300 meters above sea level, benefit from the station’s proximity, with no journey taking longer than 40 minutes.

The local coffee varieties, Wolisho and Dega, are indigenous landrace varieties from the Yirgacheffe region. After being carefully handpicked, the cherries are brought to the processing station where they undergo meticulous hand sorting. The sorted cherries are then pulped and dried on raised beds until they reach the ideal humidity level. Once dried, the coffee undergoes a final round of hand sorting before being prepared for export, ensuring only the highest quality beans are selected.