Batu Kobo, Ethiopia

Batu Kobo is a kebele (a small village) in Ethiopia’s Nensebo district, where local smallholders bring their coffee to a natural processing station.

Deforestation and the overplanting of non-native eucalyptus trees have degraded Ethiopia’s soil, causing widespread challenges for farmers. Introduced around 1900, the fast-growing eucalyptus has crowded out native vegetation, drained the soil of moisture and nutrients, and made it prone to erosion. To address this, Moplaco’s CEO, Heleanna Georgalis, educates farmers on the long-term drawbacks of eucalyptus overplanting and advocates for a sustainable alternative: enset, or the “false banana” tree. Native to Ethiopia, enset grows quickly throughout the year, resists drought, and is fully utilized by farmers. Although its fruit is inedible, the tree’s roots and stems are fermented to produce traditional foods like bula porridge and kocho bread. Additionally, the fibers from its leaves and trunks are used to make ropes and jute bags for exporting coffee. Enset also benefits coffee cultivation. Coffee seedlings planted near enset trees share in their water supply in a mutually beneficial relationship. The enset tree provides shade and nourishment for the growing seedlings, while its extensive root network traps moisture and micronutrients, improving the overall health of the soil.

At the station, workers begin by floating and sorting the coffee cherries. They then dry the cherries on raised, bamboo-constructed beds: first for at least 10 days in the shade, then for another 10 days in full sun. Once cooled in a warehouse for 48 hours, a truck transports the cherries to the village of Nansebo. There, workers hull the cherries, remove the parchment, and carefully hand-sort and grade them. The resulting export-quality green coffee is sent to Moplaco’s warehouse in Addis Ababa, from where it is shipped to buyers like us.

This coffee is an Heirloom variety known for its high sweetness, offering generous aromatics and rich fruit character. It performs beautifully both as an espresso and in filter brews, showcasing its versatility and depth.