In the mist-shrouded heights of Ethiopia’s Agaro region, where the Jimma zone’s legendary coffee culture runs as deep as the roots of its ancient trees, Kolla Bolcha stands as a beacon of what true dedication to the craft can yield. This is no fly-by-night operation; it’s the product of over 759 smallholder farmers, each one weaving their story into every tree they grow. 15 years back, Agaro’s coffees were a hidden gem, underappreciated and undervalued in a market that couldn’t yet see their worth. But with a little help from USAID’s Technoserve project, and a lot of heart from the people who call this place home, those coffees began to shine. Now, they’re not just part of our lineup—they’re the soul of it, blooming and evolving for months after they arrive, holding their peak flavor like no other.

But the magic of Kolla Bolcha isn’t just in the beans—it’s in the process, a ritual as meticulous as it is time-honored. In the Kimbibit kebele, where rainfall is as generous as the community’s spirit, coffee is more than just a crop; it’s the lifeblood of the land. After being carefully washed and depulped, the beans soak overnight in fiberglass tanks, a process that strips away every last bit of sugar, leaving them clean and ready for the sun’s gentle caress on raised drying beds. For 6 to 8 days, they lie there, turning frequently to ensure they dry evenly, slowly developing the complex flavors that will one day dance. It’s a labor of love carried out by farmers who work small plots of land with the kind of care only generations of tradition can instill. These are the Oromo people, whose lives revolve around the coffee they grow and the land they tend, intercropping with false banana trees and maize, ensuring that every plant has what it needs to thrive. This isn’t just coffee; it’s the heartbeat of a community, a coffee legacy poured into every cup.