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Refisa Natural - WEST ARSI, Ethiopia

Quick Facts

Producer: Negusse Debela - owner of SNAP - working with farmers in the communities of Refisa, Roricho, Bulga, and Solena

Region: Nensebo, West Arsi, Oromia

Elevation: 1,800 – 1,970 m.a.s.l.

Variety: 1974-1975 JARC Selections & Local Landraces

Harvest: December - January

Process: Natural

Certifications: Organic

Overview

The Refisa processing site is run and operated by Negusse Debela and his company SNAP, and is located in the heart of the Nensebo woreda (district) in the region of West Arsi.

Refisa receives coffee cherries from growers in the communities of Roricho, Bulga, Refisa, and Solena. Coffees from this area are generally classified as Sidama, but this area the last few years has been making a distinct name for itself for quality.

While West Arsi, may not be a name that is widely popular now for coffee, it certainly will be, and Negusse Debela is working hard to make sure Refisa is a standout coffee from a promising up-and-coming region.

History

Negusse Debela has not been in the coffee industry long. HE is known in Ethiopia as a computer guy, running a successful computer part import company. While coffee does not seem like a natural leap, he was inspired on trip to Minnesota in the US, where at a café he had a truly exceptional pour-over.

At that moment he realized the potential of coffee in his home country, and upon his return, he got right to work. Negusse started off by touring coffee processing sites throughout southern Ethiopia to understand the farming and processing better. From that initial tour, he was determined to set his company SNAP on a course to be one of the highest quality exporters in Ethiopia.

He began by hiring Abenezer Asafaw, an energetic young coffee professional, as his quality and coffee manager. Negusse has since bought land for SNAP to process coffee themselves, and has also undertaken the management of processing sites in Nensebo, Yirgacheffe, and Guji.

In early 2019, SNAP finished the final touches on their own export dry mill, giving them full control of their product and quality.

Flavor Notes

Grape, Berry, Red Fruit, Cocoa

Processing Info

Natural

Coffee cherries are laid out in thin layers and dried on raised beds for approx 15-21 days depending on weather. During this time the coffee cherries are constantly turned throughout the day to ensure even drying. During the initial drying all under-ripe cherry is sorted out.

Regional Info

Nensebo, West Arsi

Located in larger region of Oromia, West Arsi is about 400 km south of Addis Ababa. The Nensebo woreda (district) is home to a collection of smallholder farmers totaling 5,000 hectares of coffee. The average farm size in Nensebo is two hectares and producers here grow a range of selected coffee varieties from the JARC (Jimma Agricultural Research Center) and coffee varieties that are said to have originated from the neighboring forests of the area.

Nensebo historically has been sold as a Sidama coffee, but this woreda is technically a part of the region of West Arsi. While not as well known as some other regions of Ethiopia, Nansebo, surprised coffee aficionados by claiming more than 1/3 of all the Cup of Excellence winners in the inaugural tasting competition in 2020.

Credits:

SNAP