Region: Yirgacheffe
District: Chito
Varietal: Heirloom
Altitude: 1900m
Process: Washed. Dried on raised beds.

Chito is a small coffee-producing community located in the renowned Yirgacheffe region of southern Ethiopia, one of the world’s most celebrated origins for high-quality Arabica coffee. Nestled in the lush, high-altitude terrain of the Gedeo Zone, Chito sits at elevations ranging from 1,800 to 2,200 meters above sea level. The region’s fertile volcanic soil, abundant rainfall, and cool climate provide ideal conditions for slow coffee cherry maturation—an essential factor in developing the complex flavors Yirgacheffe coffees are known for.

The result is a bright, clean cup with exceptional clarity and layered complexity. Coffees from Chito often exhibit floral aromatics, lively citrus acidity, and notes of stone fruit, hallmarks of the best Yirgacheffe profiles.

This is a washed whole-bean coffee, but a ground option is available.

About Coffee From Ethiopia: Ethiopia is considered the birthplace of coffee and one of Africa’s top coffee-producing countries. Coffee is an important cash crop for Ethiopia, with smallholder farmers accounting for the majority of production. The country is known for its unique flavors from regions such as Uraga, Yirgacheffe, Harar, and Sidamo. The coffee is typically grown at high altitudes on small plots of land using traditional farming methods. The beans are hand-picked, sun-dried on raised beds, and then exported to countries worldwide for roasting and brewing. Ethiopia’s coffee industry faces several challenges, including low productivity and a lack of market access. Still, efforts are being made to improve the situation through initiatives such as farmer cooperatives and improved farming practices.

About The Washed Coffee Process: The washed coffee process is a method of processing coffee beans in which the outer layers of the fruit are removed before the beans are dried. This process begins by removing the coffee cherry’s outer layers, revealing the green coffee beans inside. These beans are then placed in water tanks, where they are agitated to remove any remaining bits of fruit. The beans are then rinsed and left to soak for some time, during which any defective beans will float to the surface and can be removed. After the soaking period, the beans are drained and spread out to dry in the sun. Once the beans have dried to the appropriate moisture content, they are hulled to remove the remaining dried fruit layers and then sorted and packaged for shipment.