Ethiopia - Alo Sky Project - TIM Collection

In 2020, Tamiru Tadesse founded Alo Coffee, establishing its primary facilities at an altitude exceeding 2,400 meters above sea level—one of the highest elevations for coffee cultivation in Ethiopia. Within just a year, Alo Coffee made history by securing 1st place in the 2021 Ethiopia Cup of Excellence (COE) for Anaerobic processing and 5th place for Natural processing. This achievement positioned Alo Coffee as a pioneer in Ethiopia’s specialty coffee industry, reaffirming Tamiru’s commitment to bringing global recognition and fairer rewards to the dedicated farmers of Sidama Bensa. Having worked in Ethiopia’s coffee sector for six years, Tamiru experienced the market disparity firsthand—extraordinary coffees from Sidama Bensa were being undervalued. Driven by the need for change, he founded Alo Coffee Export Plc to elevate Ethiopia’s coffee heritage and ensure that farmers receive fair compensation for their labor and expertise. At Alo Village, farmers bring their carefully harvested cherries for meticulous post-harvest processing. This facility, sitting at an astonishing 2,400 meters above sea level, plays a vital role in producing top-tier, high-elevation coffee lots. Pushing the boundaries of altitude and quality, Tamiru launched the Sky Project, situated at an even higher 2,500–2,550 meters. This high-elevation coffee initiative is one of the most ambitious projects in Ethiopian coffee history. At this extreme altitude, the cool climate significantly slows cherry maturation, extending the harvest season by nearly a month. The result? A coffee with intensified sweetness, intricate acidity, and unparalleled complexity. In addition to producing exceptional high-altitude coffee, the Sky Project also explores sustainable farming techniques to combat climate change, ensuring Ethiopia’s coffee legacy for generations to come. "TIM" (Terroir Intensified Maceration) is an innovative fermentation method developed by Tri-Up, a specialty green coffee company in Taiwan that has been at the forefront of coffee processing research. This unique process focuses on enhancing the coffee's terroir by leveraging beneficial microorganisms collected from the cherries and surrounding environment. These microbes are then introduced during fermentation to intensify the coffee’s natural expression, amplifying varietal characteristics, fermentation complexity, and microbial influence. For the TIM Washed process, cultivated bacteria and yeast from the same growing area are added to the whole cherry fermentation, which lasts four days at a controlled temperature. The coffee is then depulped and washed, before being moved to shaded raised beds for 24 days of slow drying, preserving clarity, balance, and elegant acidity in the cup. For the TIM Natural process, the same microbial cultivation method is used, with the whole cherries undergoing fermentation for four days before being moved to shaded raised beds to dry as whole cherries for five weeks. This extended fermentation and drying period enhances sweetness, deepens fruit-forward complexity, and creates a rich, full-bodied coffee.