Melka Gumie - Ethiopia

We originally released this coffee in March as part of our Roasters Choice subscription to celebrate Women's History Month because women are, without question, the backbone of the coffee community.

Lets look at some coffee statistics.

• 70% of the global workforce is provided by women.
• 20-30% of women in the global workforce own and operate their land. 
• Specifically in Ethiopia, 75% of coffee workers in Ethiopia are women.

When we analyse this statistics, it isn't to shame anyone or show us to be a saviour, but rather to educate further on gender equality across the supply chain. Coffee production in many cases means the only option to support their family, yet less than half of these producers earn a substantial income, have limitations around land ownership and restricted access to training and resources. Supporting women produced coffee is an absolute necessity for a more sustainable future in coffee production. 

Despite these challenges though, women producers have shown remarkable resilience, stepping into leadership roles, forming cooperatives and advocating for their rightful place in the industry. The growing participation in training programs and cooperative leadership is a promising sign of change.

So, with all this in mind, we have sourced a stunning microlot produced by Melka Gumie, a smallholder female producer from Harfusa, Yirgacheffe. Yirgacheffe is a renowned and sought after region of Ethiopia, known for it's traditional flavour profile of the country offering floral, citrus and delicate flavour notes. 

Melka's farm sits at an altitude of 1,890 metres above sea level, cultivating sub-varieties of Kurume, Dega and Welisho. Traditionally, Heirloom was used as a blanket term for unidentified landrace varieties though recent efforts by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) have allowed for better classification of varieties like Wolisho, Kurume, Dega, and 74110, among others.

We wanted to honour Melka Gumie’s contribution to the community by naming this coffee after her and continue to be a part of this sustainable change.

*Our coffee is freshly roasted each Monday and Thursday. Orders are dispatched on Wednesday and Friday with Royal Mail Tracked 48. Please allow 2-3 business days for your order to arrive.