Ethiopia Guji - Heirloom, Whole Beans

Mr. Kebede Genale
Mr. Kebede Genale, a truly remarkable man! At 77, he exudes a graceful charm that belies his age. His vibrant energy and remarkable ability to walk up and down the valley are proof that age is just a number. He’s one of those people who leaves a lasting impression on everyone.
Mr. Genale is a trailblazer in his village. He’s the first farmer to bravely plant coffee in the entire Buku region, including Buku Abel, Buku Saisa, and Buku Hurufa. It all started about 31 years ago when he was on a Bible study trip to Yirgacheffe. Yirgacheffe is about 60 kilometers away, but back then, it took over a day to reach by foot. At that time, Buku and the entire Hambella were considered too cold for coffee growing. Undeterred, Mr. Genale brought some seedlings with him and tried them out in his garden. Unfortunately, his first attempt didn’t work out. But he didn’t give up! After countless trials and errors, he finally succeeded.
Mr. Genale learned all his coffee farming skills from his church members in Yirgacheffe. After many failed attempts, he became the first farmer in Buku, possibly even the entire Hambella, to successfully grow coffee in the area.
Buku is one of the coffee-growing Kebeles (villages) in the Hambella woreda of the West Guji Zone. Buku’s coffee is renowned for its unique flavor profile. Its natural coffees are bursting with berry and chocolate notes. This high-altitude Kebele is famous for its small but incredibly dense coffee beans. The mornings and nights in Buku are quite chilly, which makes drying coffee a bit tricky. Sometimes, it even gets frosty! Drying coffee usually takes longer than 16 days, which gives the cherries more time to ferment on the drying table.
Mr. Genale, a coffee producer with over 20 hectares of land, is not your typical farmer. Back in the day, he sold his cherries to local mill owners. But thanks to his late son, who worked for the local agriculture office, he started processing his coffee at his farm. His meticulous preparation methods are evident if you visit his mill. It’s amazing how he separates his lots based on their maturity level.
Mr. Genale has been working with Lulo Coffee for the past four years. Despite having multiple children, the Lulo team has never seen any of them helping him with his coffee farming or preparation. He has several employees, but he’s always busy and energetic. This harvest season, the Lulo team has visited his mill several times to help him prepare some lots for the COE competition. Unfortunately, with the major COE financier, USAID, facing extinction, it’s uncertain if the competition will even be held. Mr. Genale once reached the top 40 in previous COE competitions. For now, he might have to leave with that memory, but his coffee will definitely win you over