Duromina

Duromina is a farmer cooperative of approximately 400 smallholder farmers in the Qadamessa kebele within the Gomma woreda of Agaro, Jimma. The region experiences some of the earliest harvests in Ethiopia and yet due to the long blooming period they often show the best shelf life, continuing to peak in flavor more than six months after they've arrived here in the US. 

Producers cultivate coffee on small plots of land at altitudes between 1,850-1,980 masl. They intercrop the coffee with maize and false banana trees for shade, avoid the use of synthetic fertilizer, and soak their parchment overnight to ensure a exceptionally clean final cup.

The Duromina cooperative was established in 2010 with help from USAID's Technoserve project to allow the community to break away from low local market prices and focus on high-quality processing. The intention was to improve the livelihoods of the local producers and that's exactly where it gets its name–Duromina means "to improve their lives" in the local Afan Oromo language. Duromina is part of the Kata Muduga Union - an umbrella organization which provides marketing and administrative services to the cooperative members.

The cup profiles from this part of Ethiopia often provide complex herbaceous notes in amongst the usual suspects of sweet citrus fruit, black tea and fresh spring blossoms. Here we taste the earthiness of green tea with soft sweet tangerine supported by a concord grape and wildflower honey.

Producer → Members of the Duromina Farmer Cooperative
Washing Station → Localized stations
Location → Qadamessa, Agaro, Jimma, Ethiopia
Altitude → 1,850-1,980 masl
Variety → Native Landraces
Process → Washed