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A timely arrival of one of our favorite African coffees. One of the largest collectives on the African Continent, the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union offers classic cup profiles in both washed and unwashed heirloom varietals. Notes of citrus, baker's chocolate and bergamot prevail in this washed, high-(between 1900 and 2200 meters) and shade-grown arabica.
Some interesting notes on the YCFCU follow from its website...
"Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU) was formed in 2002 as an association
of 22 local cooperatives, who had formerly sold exclusively to local coffee boards. Located in
Gedeo, southern Ethiopia, the co-op utilizes over 56,000 hectares in one of the most famous
growing regions of the country. After 17 years in a socialist oriented coffee business, the
cooperatives reorganized as the economy liberalized in 1993. Since their establishment,
most cooperatives have been engaged in coffee production and supply to the local market.
Only YCFCU was given special permission to bypass the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority
to export directly to international buyers. Certified by Fairtrade Labelling Organizations
International (FLO) in 2003, the major aim of Yirgacheffe is to secure better prices for farmers
and access the international coffee market.
With proceeds from the Fair Trade price, the co-op has been able to
• Support eduction. Although Yirgacheffe's entrance into the Fair Trade
market is recent, the cooperative's increased revenue has allowed three
communities to build local schools.
• Improve quality through reinvestment. Most farmers have made
tremendous improvement in coffee quality after securing better prices on
the Fair Trade Market.
• Inspiration for the future. A cooperative member was inspired by the
Fair Trade price he received and promised to use the revenue to buy one
fixed asset, in memory of Fair Trade. Members of Yirgacheffe are planning
to implement health, credit and women's programs.
Website: www.yirgacheffe-coffee.com
ABOUT THE COOP
Date Established: 2002
Number of Members: 43,565
Fair Trade Production: 526 Containers
ABOUT THE COFFEE
Varieties: Arabica, Yirgacheffe: 368 containers,
Sidamo: 158 containers
Elevation: 1,799m-2,200m
Processing: Wet and dry processing
Cup Characteristics: Medium acidity, good
body, well-balanced
Harvest Season: Sep-Dec
Export Season: Dec-Aug
Organic Production: 8%
Fair Trade Production: 25%
Organic Certification Agency: BCS
Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
“We thank God that we are receiving a better price for our coffee. Let
God be with those Fair Trade buyers."
— Yirgacheffe Member
Updated – 08/01/2005 TransFair USA • 1611 Telegraph Ave, Suite 900, Oakland CA 94612 • Tel 510 663-5260 • www.transfairusa.org
Quality Awards: In the 2005 ECAFE Competition, Yirgacheffe received 1st and 2nd place awards for their washed coffee and 2nd place for
unwashed coffee. Of the twenty-five honors at this years competition, Yirgacheffe took twelve. Also, Yirgacheffe was named 2nd best
African coffee at the Cupping Pavillion of SCAA 2005.
