Ethiopia

Arabica coffee originated in the forests of southwestern Ethiopia, and it still grows wild there today. Ethiopia has more genetic diversity in coffee than anywhere else in the world: thousands of native varieties, often grouped together as "heirloom." Coffee is also central to daily life, and the coffee ceremony is a sign of hospitality and community.

Most Ethiopian coffee comes from smallholders who grow a small number of trees in their gardens or forest plots and deliver ripe cherry to a local washing station. Each lot usually represents hundreds of farmers. Both washed and natural processing are common.

Harvest typically runs from October through January.