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Telila Washing Station
The Washing Station itself is located in Kecho Anderacha, Gera in the region of Jimma at altitude of around 2000 masl.
Station is owned and run by Mike Mamo, partner in Osito Coffee. The washing station was purchased in 2019 and in 2019/2020 the first harvest was put into operation. With a real focus on quality control and experimentation, we are excited to be working with Mike and his team at Telila. Not only are they producing high quality washed lots, but also honey process, natural and anaerobic natural processed coffees.
In that pursuit of improving quality, Telila is innovating in many exciting ways. For instance, where most washing stations build lots exclusively based on the process used and the location the cherries were delivered from, Telila goes a step further and separates lots based on the day the coffee cherries were delivered. Mike and the team also store all their parchment in hermetically sealed bags - a first for Ethiopia.
Processing
Most of the cherries being delivered are one of two varieties; Gibirinna 74110 and Serto 74112. Both of these are from the Metu Bishari selections made in the forest of the same name in the Illubabor Zone by the Jimma Agricultural Research Centre (JARC) in 1974. They were selected for their resistance to Coffee Berry Disease. Now, they are some of the most propagated varieties in Ethiopia.
The cherries are all dried at a centralised location on raised beds at an elevation of 2173 masl for around 15-20 days in very thin layers. They are moved and rotated frequently to ensure even and precise drying. The net results of all the effort are some of the most vibrant and pristinely clean coffee.
A donation of 0.10$/lb will be made for every lb Osito Coffee purchases from Telila to the Kacho Tulla Primary School in the village of Kecho Anderacha.