Why We Love This Roast

Laayyoo has returned!! This coffee has been one of the stars of our lineup for four years in a row now, and this fresh crop harvest is every bit as good as the previous ones. It really stood out on the cupping table with big sweetness, excellent acidity, and tropical yet clean (no funk) profile. We taste raspberry, blueberry, concord grape, blood orange, and some delicate florals. We highly recommend giving this coffee a try, no matter which brew method you usually use.

From Our Importer

"The Laayyoo Natural is produced at the Raro Nensebo washing station in Uraga, Guji, which falls under the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. This area is oftentimes mistakenly known as Sidamo Guji, but instead should be known only as Guji or West-Guji on its own. The farmers that deliver cherry to this washing station come from the ‘kebele’ or village known as Teraga, and their farms sit at an elevation of between 2,100 and 2,350 m.a.s.l. These producers generally grow and this lot is primarily comprised of the 74110 and 74112 varieties, which are local varieties selected for their production and disease resistance. The word Laayyoo refers to an indigenous tree growing in this area, used for shade on coffee plantations. Its deep roots allow for the falling leaves to offer rich, nutrient dense compost, acting also as a fertilizer.

This coffee was processed by Sookoo Coffee, which is run by Ture Waji, also known as “The King of Guji”! While this particular lot comes from Uraga, Ture and his company Sookoo Coffee also have another washing station in Shakiso. Both “washing” stations currently only produce natural coffees, but washed coffees are in the plans for upcoming harvests. Ture has strong connections to the land, its community and farmers, as he grew up in the region. After studying, he started as an export and farm manager at his cousin’s farm and company Mormora, and then later at Guji Highlands Coffee. Thanks to the trade and coffee liberalization in Ethiopia, he was able to start Sookoo Coffee (formerly known as Dambi Uddo), building his first washing station and exporting his first coffee under his own brand in 2018.

Ture produced multiple lots this season, across both washing stations and while all of them were delicious, Laayyoo really stood out for its complexity, cleanliness and dynamic fruit-forward character.

Between harvests, Ture and his team educate farmers on good agricultural practices, in order to help improve the quality of their cherry. His company also provides pre-harvest loans to farmers who need it, for example to pay for hired labor to do maintenance on the farm, such as weeding and planting. The washing stations employ a ‘woman-first’ policy and the company has built a school for the children. Roads have also been built to improve the infrastructure; if you have been to Ethiopia before, you know how much this is needed! 

We met with Ture on our very first trip to Ethiopia, literally 30 minutes after landing, in a hotel lobby near the airport. During the meeting, he explained to us a bit about his company and most importantly his values and his mission to carry them out: Quality, Traceability, and Sustainability. Although the meeting was brief, we were able to solidify the relationship, by chance, on the very last day of trip, where we also had the opportunity to taste his coffees for the first time. In the end, we decided to work with Ture, not only because his coffees are delicious, but because of the exciting projects he has in the works. Some of these projects include producing washed coffees at his current washing stations, as well as a collaboration with another friend of ours, Mike Mamo of Addis Exporter, whereby they will produce coffees at a new washing station in Uraga called Greenspring (which is named after a road in Baltimore, near where both Mike and Stephen grew up). This is our fifth year working with Ture, and we are thrilled for the upcoming harvest!"