Getachew Zekele was probably destined to work in Ethiopia’s ancient coffee industry. Growing up in the volcanic Guji region as coffee started to show its potential in growing coffee of an exceptional quality, Getachew moved to the capital Addis Ababa as a young adult, where he studied economics. In 2010 he returned to Guji, where he made inroads in the local coffee scene before starting the Dimtu Tero farm in 2016.
Located in the Oromia region in Shakiso, the 151 hectare farm is nestled in the Guji forests, with coffee growing symbiotically with the rich vegetation. Getachew prioritises sustainability, working conditions and sustainability on his farm, as well as with the 416 outgrowers he works with. Getachew pays above-market prices to these smallholders who send their harvests to Dimtu Tero for processing, and encourages sustainable practices throughout the supply chain: his own farm has multiple organic certifications.
He’s seen a lot of success in his ambitious project, and we’ve been consistently impressed with the coffees him and his team have produced. Five varieties are produced by Getachew: Tero, Mansiey, Anona, Sekoricha and Jelewo, with all receiving cupping scores at least in the high eighties. His fastidious processing and tracing techniques allows him to keep these varieties separate, achieving a level of traceability that is unusual in Ethiopian coffees.
