Roasted filter coffee, 250 g beans

86 points in cupping

Ethiopia Sookoo achieved a cupping score of 86 points and carries the Ethiopia Grade 1 designation, representing the highest quality grade in the country. This classification takes into account visual defect inspection as well as the quality of the final cup. Grade 1 coffee must meet strict purity requirements and must not show any flavour defects or under-roasted, immature beans known as quakers.

Tropical, sweet and pleasantly fresh

The flavour profile features sweet papaya alongside the delicate character of black tea. Milk chocolate brings a pleasant sweetness, while citrus gives the cup a fresh finish. The result is a highly aromatic and balanced coffee in which tropical fruitiness beautifully complements chocolate and tea notes.

Gubata Farmers Group

This coffee is produced by farmers from the Gubata Farmers Group, who work with Ture Waji and his company Sookoo Coffee. Their farms are located in the eastern part of Guji, in the Shakiso area. Local growers mostly farm small plots and carry out a large part of the work by hand. Alongside coffee trees, they often grow beans, peas or enset, known as false banana. This traditional form of intercropping helps them make efficient use of the land while producing food for their own families.

Sookoo Coffee, coffee as precious as gold

Sookoo Coffee is a family-run company led by Ture Waji, focusing on the production of high-quality specialty and organic coffee. The name Sookoo comes from the Ethiopian word for gold. Just like gold, quality coffee is rare and deserves extraordinary care. The company reflects this philosophy in its work with farmers and coffee processing. Sucafina has been working with Sookoo Coffee since 2019.

Ethiopian varieties adapted to local conditions

This coffee comes from local heirloom varieties and varieties bred by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC). Among the most widely grown are JARC 74110 and JARC 74112, also known as Gibirinna and Serto. These varieties were selected from coffee trees growing in Ethiopian forests and are valued for their resistance to coffee berry disease and good yields. Introduced in 1979, the 74110 variety features a compact growth habit and smaller leaves and fruit. Breeders selected both varieties specifically for local growing conditions.

Manual work and respect for nature

Coffee cultivation in the Guji region remains largely traditional. Many farmers use minimal or no fertilisers and pesticides. Most farming activities are not mechanised. Workers harvest, sort and dry the coffee by hand. This allows farmers to focus closely on the quality of the coffee cherries throughout the entire process.

Natural – 2 to 3 weeks of careful drying

Workers selectively hand-pick the coffee cherries and then transport them to the Gubata processing station, located at an altitude of approximately 1741 metres. Upon arrival, staff sort the cherries to remove damaged or unripe fruit. They then spread them out on raised drying beds, turning them regularly to ensure even drying. The entire process takes approximately 2–3 weeks. During natural processing, the coffee bean remains inside the whole cherry for the duration of the drying. This method contributes to the distinct fruitiness and sweetness of the final cup. The harvest of this lot comes from the 2024/2025 season. In lower altitudes, harvesting usually takes place from October to December, while in higher areas it runs from November to January.

Detailed characteristics