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Africa · No. 5 producer · Harvest October to February

Ethiopia

Also sold as Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, Harrar, Mocha (historical).

Africa's top coffee producer and home of the Kaldi legend, with regional cups from floral and tea-like to winey and cocoa-toned.

Ethiopia is Africa's largest coffee producer and the world's fifth-largest overall (about 496,200 tonnes in 2022), with roughly 5.9 million farmers working directly in coffee. Legend credits a 9th-century goatherd named Kaldi with discovering coffee, though the story did not appear in writing until 1671. Yirgacheffe, Sidama and Harar are trademarked names whose rights are owned by Ethiopia. Most work is done by hand at roughly 1,500-2,200 m, and one guide describes four production systems: forest (about 10%), semi-forest (35%), garden (50%) and plantation (5%). The Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX) began in 2008, and reforms since 2017 have let buyers trace coffees back to the original washing station.

History

Legend places coffee's discovery in 9th-century Ethiopia, credited to the goatherd Kaldi, though the tale was first written down in 1671. Coffee drinking spread from Ethiopia to Yemen, then the Ottoman Empire, Europe and the Americas. The Ethiopia Commodity Exchange began in 2008 and initially pooled coffees by grade and region, which lost traceability, and reforms since 2017 have let buyers trace lots back to the washing station.

Field notes

  1. i

    According to legend, a 9th-century goatherd named Kaldi discovered coffee's energizing effects, but the story did not appear in writing until 1671.

  2. ii

    One guide describes four production systems in Ethiopia: forest (about 10%), semi-forest (35%), garden (50%) and plantation (5%).

  3. iii

    The Ethiopia Commodity Exchange, established in 2008, initially pooled coffees by grade and region, and reforms since 2017 have let buyers trace coffees to the original washing station.

Where it growsEthiopian coffee is grown mostly at about 1,500-2,200 m in the highlands, and forest coffee in the southwestern Kaffa area grows between about 1,400 and 2,100 m.

In the cup, according to guides

  • FloralOften notedRoaster guides describe floral notes across Yirgacheffe, Sidama and Guji lots.
  • BerryOften notedGuides describe red berry or blackcurrant notes for Sidama and berry-like acidity for Guji.
  • AcidityVariesGuides describe bright acidity for Yirgacheffe and Sidama but low or gentle acidity for Limu and Jimma.

Regions of Ethiopia

  1. Sidama 1,500–2,200 m · October to February

    Ethiopia's leading coffee-producing region, with Sidama cups described as sweet, red-berried and floral at roughly 1,500-2,200 m.

    Bensa

  2. Gedeo (Yirgacheffe) 1,700–2,200 m · October to January

    Home of the Yirgacheffe name, on the eastern escarpment of the Highlands, with cups described as jasmine, bergamot and tea-like.

    Gedeb

  3. Guji 1,400–2,300 m · October to January

    Southern Oromia zone whose coffees are described as fruit-forward and sweet, with bright citrus and berry-like acidity.

    Uraga · Hambela · Shakiso · Odo Shakiso

  4. West Arsi 1,900–2,050 m

    Oromia zone whose Nensebo coffees were sold as Sidamo until a separate designation of origin in 2017, and are described as floral, citrusy and bright.

    Nensebo

  5. Harrar 1,500–2,000 m · November to February

    Eastern highland naturals described as winey and dried-fruit toned, with beans traditionally sorted as longberry, shortberry or Mocha (peaberry).

  6. Kaffa 1,400–2,100 m

    Southwestern zone whose forest coffee grows at roughly 1,400 to 2,100 m. Bonga is its administrative center.

  7. Jimma 1,340–2,100 m · October to January

    Oromia zone and one of Ethiopia's three leading coffee zones, with cups ranging from low-acid and winey to dark-cocoa.

  8. Limu 1,400–2,000 m · October to January

    Washed-leaning coffee from Jimma Zone woredas such as Limu Kosa and Limu Seka, described as smooth and spicy with a gentle, wine-toned acidity.

  9. Illubabor

    Western Oromia zone that produced about 6.5% of Ethiopia's coffee in the year ending 2005.

  10. Bench Maji 1,200–1,900 m

    Southwestern coffee area. The Bench Sheko Zone, in the South West Ethiopia Peoples' Region, has Mizan Teferi as its hub.

    Gesha Village

  11. Wollega 1,500–2,400 m · October to January

    Western Oromia coffee area traded as Lekempti via Nekemte, at roughly 1,500-2,400 m, with natural lots described as tropical and jasmine-like.

  12. Bale

    A large Oromia zone that produced about 5,130 tons of coffee in the year ending 2005, alongside wheat.

  13. Tepi / Bebeka 1,100–1,600 m

    Southwestern area around Tepi, site of Ethiopia's second-largest coffee plantation at 6,205 hectares.

Varietals grown here

How it is usually processed

Species

Sources · 4 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-11-10.
  1. Coffee production in Ethiopia · Wikipedia
  2. Ethiopian Coffee Guide · 1Zpresso
  3. Ethiopian Coffee: Taste, Growing Regions, Production, and Brewing · Colipse Coffee
  4. Guide to Ethiopian Green Coffee Origins · Ethio Coffee (exporter)

Place positions: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Coastlines: Natural Earth (public domain).