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Introduction to Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee Cooperative Names Ethiopian Coffee Bean Prices

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange More coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style) In the past two years, Ethiopian coffee represented by Yirgacheffe has been pursued by many coffee enthusiasts. Many people who love drinking coffee have expressed great surprise and unforgettable experience after drinking high-quality Yirgacheffe. The term Yirgacheffe has also become more

Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style).

In recent years, Ethiopian coffee, represented by Yirgacheffe, has been highly sought after by many coffee enthusiasts. Many people who enjoy coffee have expressed being amazed and unforgettable after tasting high-quality Yirgacheffe.

The term "Yirgacheffe" has also become more familiar to many people, even more so than Sidamo, the larger producing region where Yirgacheffe is located.

Sidamo

Sidamo grows in the southernmost Ethiopian highlands at altitudes between 4,600-7,200 feet (Sidamo Province). It is a famous specialty coffee region in southern Ethiopia, bordering Kenya, located southeast of Jimma and directly south of the capital. It typically has distinct sweetness and is preferred by many people. The coffee flavor of Sidamo is very diverse.

Different soil types, microclimates, and countless native coffee varieties characterize the region. Within the production area, there are towering mountains, highlands, plateaus, valleys, and plains, creating diverse topography. The local geology consists of nutrient-rich, well-drained volcanic soil with a depth of nearly two meters, with surface soil appearing dark brown or brown. The region's greatest advantage is that soil fertility is maintained through the cycling of organic matter, using fallen leaves from surrounding trees or plant residues as fertilizer. This has resulted in coffee produced by towns having distinct differences and characteristics.

Yirgacheffe

Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia at an altitude of 1,700-2,100 meters, located in the northwest of Sidamo Province, surrounded by mountains and lakes. It is one of the highest altitude coffee-producing regions in Ethiopia and synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee. Strictly speaking, Yirgacheffe is a sub-region of Ethiopia's Sidamo producing region, but it was separated due to its special flavor characteristics.

Yirgacheffe, at an altitude of nearly two kilometers, is one of the highest altitude coffee-producing regions in the world. This area has been a wetland since ancient times. "Yirga" means "settle down," and "Cheffe" means "wetland." Lake Turkana, Lake Abaya, and Lake Chamo bring abundant water vapor to this area. In the rift valleys, represented by Misty Valley, fog pervades year-round, with spring-like seasons throughout, gentle breezes, cool and humid conditions. Thousands of coffee tree varieties thrive and multiply here, nurturing Yirgacheffe's unique floral and fruity aromas that intertwine ambiguously and create unpredictable terroir characteristics.

European monks established the local coffee cultivation industry, which was later taken over by coffee communities or cooperatives in villages surrounding the town. There are no dedicated plantations here—coffee trees naturally scatter throughout forests and fields. During the harvest season, Ethiopian coffee trading companies come to the town to purchase coffee beans collected by farmers.

In addition to Yirgacheffe town, it also includes three other sub-regions: Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena/Abaya.

Cultivation System and Environment

The mountain villages in the Yirgacheffe producing region are cool and foggy, with spring-like weather year-round. Summer brings gentle breezes—cool but not hot, rainy but not damp—and winter does not cause frost damage, making it the best environment for growing Arabica coffee. There are no large-scale coffee plantations here; coffee farmers grow coffee mixed with other crops, typically planted under banana trees, creating a unique landscape.

Processing Methods

Traditional Ethiopian natural processing methods are relatively crude with heavy off-flavors, which has been criticized. In 1959, the Yirgacheffe region introduced South American washed processing methods. Most producing regions generally use washed processing—after removing the coffee cherry skin, the mucilage layer is removed through fermentation and washing processes, followed by drying. Since 2006, some coffee processing plants in certain regions have adopted refined raised-bed natural processing methods. This high-intensity labor approach prevents coffee cherries from contacting the ground during drying, preventing earthy off-flavors and creating exceptionally clean fruit flavors. After more than two weeks of natural drying, the dark brown coffee cherries are professionally stored and await full flavor development. Before sale, the dried cherry pulp and parchment are removed, followed by elimination of underripe and over-fermented beans. Strict quality control has significantly improved the quality of natural processed beans.

Flavor Characteristics

Washed Yirgacheffe

It has unique lemon flavors, refreshing jasmine floral aromas, gentle fruit acidity and citrus flavors, with a fresh and bright taste.

Natural Yirgacheffe

It has charming fruit acidity, clean fermented fruit sweetness, elegant fruit wine aromas, and a sweet aftertaste.

Grades

Ethiopia's coffee grading system is not determined by bean size but by the proportion of defective beans in green coffee. Ethiopia has implemented the ECX specialty coffee trading grading system, where Q-Graders make the following grades through green coffee evaluation: washed Yirgacheffe is divided into Grade 1 and Grade 2, while natural Yirgacheffe is divided into Grade 1, Grade 3, Grade 4, and Grade 5. Grade 1 is the highest grade, meaning Yirgacheffe with the lowest defect rate and most excellent quality. This article is compiled based on Han Huaizong's "Specialty Coffee Studies" and other internet content.

Ethiopian Coffee Cooperative Names and Introductions

Sigiga Cooperative (1600-2500 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Kochere

Members: 1,862 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Certifications: Fair Trade, UTZ Sustainable Farming, Organic Coffee

Finchewan Cooperative (1450-2000 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Wenago

Members: 1,271 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Konga Cooperative (1750-2300 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Yirgacheffe

Members: 1,556 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Hafursa Cooperative (1750-2300 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Yirgacheffe

Members: 1,975 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Annual Green Coffee Production: 798,000 kg

Average Farm Size: Maximum 4 hectares, approximately 600 kg per hectare annually

Facilities: Cooperative has washing station

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Resa Cooperative (1000-1400 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Wenago

Members: 2,719 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide two sets of coffee processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Addis Katema Cooperative (1000-1400 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Wenago

Members: 891 people

Facilities: Cooperative has washing station

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Biloya Cooperative (1600-2500 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Kochere

Members: 1,203 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Provides two sets of coffee processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Worka Cooperative (1650-2700 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeb

Members: 305 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Annual Green Coffee Production: 457,000 kg

Average Farm Size: Maximum 4 hectares, approximately 699 kg per hectare annually

Facilities: Cooperative has all processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Koke Cooperative (1750-2300 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Yirgacheffe

Members: 828 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide one set of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, UTZ Sustainable Farming, Organic Coffee

Hama Cooperative (1600-2500 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Kochere

Members: 1,505 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide one set of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Chichu Cooperative (1410-2000 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Dila

Members: 1,675 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Average Farm Size: Maximum 4 hectares, approximately 591 kg per hectare annually

Facilities: Can provide one set of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Michile Cooperative (1410-2000 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Dila

Members: 1,206 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Average Farm Size: Approximately 592 kg per hectare annually

Facilities: Can provide one set of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, UTZ Sustainable Farming, Organic Coffee

Hase Haro Cooperative (1450-2000 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Wenago

Members: 1,519 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Average Farm Size: Maximum 4 hectares, approximately 591 kg per hectare annually

Facilities: Can provide one set of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Dumerso Cooperative (1750-2300 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Yirgacheffe

Members: 246 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide two sets of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Tumticha Cooperative (1410-2000 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Yirgacheffe

Members: 960 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide two sets of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Aramo Cooperative (1750-2300 meters) (90+ Chibi region)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Yirgacheffe

Members: 2,254 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide two sets of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Edido Cooperative (1750-2300 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Yirgacheffe

Members: 1,044 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide one set of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Adame Cooperative (1000-1400 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Wenago

Members: 533 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide one set of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Belekara Cooperative (1000-1400 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Wenago

Members: 685 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide one set of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Adado Cooperative (1200-1700 meters)

Producing Region: Sidamo-Bule

Members: 1,128 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide one set of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Haru Cooperative (1200-1700 meters)

Producing Region: Gedeo-Yirgacheffe

Members: 1,187 people

Soil Type: Red-brown soil

Facilities: Can provide one set of processing equipment

Certifications: Fair Trade, Organic Coffee

Ethiopian Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

Ethiopian coffee beans roasted by FrontStreet Coffee offer full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they provide exceptional value—at approximately 90 yuan for a half-pound (227g) package. Calculating at 15g of coffee per cup, one package can make 15 cups, costing only about 6 yuan per cup. Compared to coffee shops selling cups for over 100 yuan each, this represents a conscientious recommendation.