Ethiopia - Daanisa Shakiso

Daanisa Farmers’ Group is a collective of 44 farmers who deliver their cherries to Dambi Uddo washing station. Their name comes from the local word for an umbrella-shaped native tree which has medicinal properties and is used for a wide range of construction purposes. Perhaps most importantly, the daanisa tree is used to provide shade for coffee plants.

The region's high altitudes, reaching more than 2,000 meters above sea level, provide ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality coffees. Farmers selectively handpick cherry and deliver it to the washing station or to local collection points. At the washing station, coffee is sorted to ensure that only the ripest cherries are processed. 

We find this coffee to be bright yet delicate, with notes of fruit and sweet cream, floral aromatics, and a smooth milk chocolate finish. Daanisa is wonderful served as cold brew or iced coffee, prepared as a pour-over or filter coffee; even as an espresso. 

What are JARC Varieties?

Ethiopian coffee varieties are categorized into two main groups: JARC or regional varieties, and local indigenous varieties. These ancestral varieties grow in very localized areas and are often referred to with the English word “heirloom.”

Indigenous varieties have evolved over time. Through generations, these plants have evolved and adapted to their environment. There are at least 130 indigenous and ancestral varieties grown in Ethiopia. This vast genetic pool results in a wide diversity of flavors among farms, and even within lots from the same farm.

In contrast, JARC varieties have been developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center. Designed to resist drought and disease and to be well-suited to the Ethiopian climate and soil, these varieties were created to support local agriculture robustly. Established in 1967, JARC has developed many varieties that thrive across Ethiopia today. It also provides agricultural training to help farmers learn the best cultivation methods for these new varieties.