Ethiopia - Niguse Gemeda Mude - Slow Shade Drying (COE Winner #1, 2020)

In the 2020 inaugural Ethiopian Cup of Excellence, Niguse Gemeda Mude secured the top position with an impressive cup score of 91.04 for his Sidama Sun-dried natural coffee. This exceptional brew fetched a remarkable USD 185.10 per pound during the auction, resulting in a substantial revenue of USD 220,360 from the sale of 600 kilograms of coffee. Since then, his coffee has gained significant popularity among traders and roasters worldwide. Hailing from the village of Hayisa in Keramo, Negussie Gemeda Mude embarked on his coffee farming journey in 2017. Situated at an average altitude of 2380 meters above sea level, Hayisa provides an ideal environment for cultivating high-quality coffee beans. Following his victory in the 2020 Cup of Excellence, Negussie expanded his farm and established additional washing stations in Nensebo, Yirgacheffe, and Guji. This expansion was facilitated by the relaxation of government regulations, allowing coffee traders to export directly without the constraints of the Ethiopian Coffee Exchange (ECX). It's noteworthy that the coffee discussed here countryofOriginV2ates from Negussie's 3-hectare farm in Hayisa, which was featured in the 2020 Cup of Excellence. Annually, this farm yields approximately 15,000 kilograms of red cherries, employing only the natural processing method.Prior to participating in the Cup of Excellence program, Negussie primarily sold his coffee locally to private buyers and through ECX, which yielded less profit compared to his current success.The variety presented here is the 74158, processed using the Slow Shade Drying method, a remake of the award-winning coffee from the 2020 COE competition. Slow Shade Drying is employed to protect the parchment from potential damage caused by exposure to sunlight, preserving the delicate characteristics within the beans. Though this process takes longer, it enhances the absorption of natural aromatics from the fully ripened cherries, resulting in a superior product.