Introducing Ethiopia Gedeb Chelchele Natural LTD
Posted by MHawn on 29th Apr 2022
Ready or not, we're switching out our Ethiopia LTD offering, and you're gonna love it! The latest addition to our Limited Edition series is scrumptious, but that's not all. This farm has an impressive backstory to boot. Enough with the intrigue, let's get into it! We proudly introduce Ethiopia Gedeb Chelchele Natural.
Muluemebet Emiru, matriarch and founder of Hambela Coffee Estate. Source: METAD
The trailblazing began in 1934, with Muluemebet Emiru earning her pilot's license, making her the first African woman to do so. This family's coffee journey began just after WWII, when Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie, awarded the matriarch "(...) farmland, lush with wild coffee trees, in the Harar and Sidamo regions. With our grandfather’s help, she transformed the Harar farmland into a private coffee estate, forever forging our family’s deep connection to the land and coffee cultivation," according to the estate's website.
Three generations have continued the family legacy, and today the farm is run by Muluemebet's grandsons, Aman Adinew and Tariku Adinew. Both earned their business degrees from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and went on to hone their business acumen at places like 3M, DHL Express, and IBM Global Services. But the call of family legacy brought them back home, where they have been able to utilize their extensive experience to help lift up the surrounding community.
Coffee seedlings at Hambela Coffee Estate. Source: Royal
Aman Adinew established METAD, Method Agricultural Development PLC, now with over 10,000 smallholder farming members. METAD has taken "giving back to the community" to a whole other level. They don't just provide premium coffee prices to their thousands of members, they also offer educational and employment opportunities as well as certification programs. Roads. Community centers. Wellness screenings. They've even had a part in the establishment of Ethiopia's Commodity Exchange, which ensures Ethiopian buyers and sellers can trade "...assured of quality, delivery and payment (...) in an efficient, reliable, and transparent market by harnessing innovation and technology."
And who has the first and only SCAA certified coffee quality control lab in Africa? METAD. Coffee professionals, both local and international, come here to be trained and certified in quality control. Additionally, third-party coffee providers can send samples to this facility to be rated and certified.
We love that the folks at METAD are quality obsessed, and their dedication really shows in this coffee. Unusual notes of brandy wine and apple punctuated our tasting experience with hints of melon. The body is luxurious and silky, but it doesn't linger. The finish is bright, clean, and citrusy. We were most impressed with this one brewed in a Chemex, so any pour-over would be amazing. A regular drip coffee and French press wouldn't be bad choices either, although, we suggest passing on the espresso with this one. Oh! And this one's 100% organic to boot!
Check out this interesting video about METAD. It's a little long, but totally worth the watch!