Verve Coffee Roasters
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Most people remember their first experience with a coffee from Ethiopia. Eyes widen, floral aromatics coming from the steam, and the acidity is nothing short of lively and vibrant. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and arguably home to some of the most flavorsome tasting notes and aromas. Duromina is a coffee to have that moment with. Tn 2010, 113 of the 1600 residents of a Kebele ("neighborhood") in Ethiopia's Oromia state called Boto banded together with the intent of producing quality coffee. On April 13, they registered themselves as a cooperative named Duromina, which translates to "improve their lives'' in Affan Oromo. In the few years that have followed, the Duromina Cooperative has certainly lived up to that name. Before creating the cooperative, Boto farmers would bring their harvest to local markets for private traders to buy. The sales never amounted to much, as the traders would determine the price, which averaged between 1.5-3.25 birr (.07-.38 USD) per pound. Given these prices, it is no surprise that coffee benefited the farmers little, if at all. With the help of TechnoServe (an NPO based out of Washington, DC), the Duromina Cooperative built a wet-mill and began producing some truly exceptional coffees. TechnoServe provided the coop with technical support and business advice and connected them with buyers who recognized the quality of their coffee and paid much higher prices for it. Coffee from Duromina now sells nearly five times as much as it used to. It is also expected to yield a 50% increase to each farmer's income. The co-op members (which now total more than 130) understand how much quality coffee benefits them. They highly value cooperation and actively help each other. They will share their experiences, trading advice, and farming practices that might help their fellow farmer. This coffee is an example of a community working together to make tangible change.
Coconut
Guava
Type
Single Origin
Origin
Goma, Ethiopia
Roast
Medium-Light
Species
Arabica
Varieties
Heirloom
Process
Washed
Altitude
1900-2100m
Producer
Duromina Cooperative