Nano Challa - Washed Heirloom | Ethiopia

Ethiopia — Nano Challa Farmers Cooperative Genji Challa Heirloom (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🍇 Raisins • 🍋 Lime • 🍮 Marzipan

DETAILS

• Producer: Nano Challa Farmers Cooperative
• Farm / Station: Genji Challa kebele
• Region: Jimma Zone, Ethiopia
• Varietal: Heirloom
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1980–2100 MASL
• Harvest: 2025
• Size: 250g

INTRO

Nano Challa's Limu Grade 1 washed lot is a benchmark for what the Jimma zone can produce when a cooperative invests seriously in quality at every stage. Raisins, lime, and marzipan make for an unexpectedly complex flavour profile — part winey depth, part bright citrus, part nutty sweetness — unified by the clarity that a meticulous washed process delivers.

Equally at home as a filter or espresso, this is a coffee that challenges Jimma's historical reputation for lower-grade commercial lots and firmly establishes Nano Challa as a source of genuine specialty coffee.

THE PRODUCER

Nano Challa is a primary cooperative within the Kata Muduga Multipurpose Farmer's Cooperative Union, based in Agaro, Ethiopia. Led by General Manager Ephrem Kebede, the union supports farmers across five rural districts in the Jimma zone. The cooperative was founded in 2004 by 25 farmers from Agaro with a clear mission: to unite smallholders, reduce debt burdens, secure access to better buyers, and improve the quality of coffee from a region once known almost exclusively for low-grade "Jimma 5" commodity lots.

Located in Genji Challa kebele at altitudes between 1980 and 2100 MASL, Nano Challa has become well known for its high-quality Limu Grade 1 washed coffees — recognised by the specialty industry for their bright citrus acidity, floral nuance, and tea-like qualities.

The cooperative model has transformed the livelihoods of its member farmers, enabling investment in better processing infrastructure and consistent quality protocols that make lots like this possible.

THE PROCESS

The classic Washed process at Nano Challa involves:

• 🍒 Selective Harvest — Only fully ripe, healthy cherries are hand-picked for each lot.
• 🔧 Pulping — Cherries are depulped to remove the outer skin and expose the mucilage-covered bean.
• 💧 Floating — Beans are floated in water to remove low-density or defective material before fermentation.
• 🧪 Wet Fermentation — Beans ferment in water for 12–24 hours to break down and loosen remaining mucilage.
• 💧 Washing & Rinsing — Coffee is washed in clean water channels, with additional separation of any floating defects.
• ☀️ Raised Bed Drying — Beans dry on raised beds for 10–15 days until reaching 10–12% moisture content.
• ✅ Density & Colour Grading — Final grading removes defects and ensures the uniform, high-quality beans that qualify as Grade 1.

This rigorous, step-by-step approach produces the exceptional clarity and consistency that defines Nano Challa's Limu Grade 1 lots.

THE CUP

A beautifully composed washed Ethiopian that defies Jimma's commodity reputation. Rich raisins anchor the cup, balanced by the brightness of fresh lime and the gentle, nutty warmth of marzipan. The Grade 1 processing delivers exceptional clarity and clean finish — a coffee that reveals more complexity with every sip.

Flavour Notes

• 🍇 Raisins
• 🍋 Lime
• 🍮 Marzipan