Direct Trade: Ethiopia Alo Coffee

Since our first visit to Alo in 2023, we have continued to work closely with Tamiru Tadesse and Alo Coffee. Our relationship has never been simply about securing more coffee. Each visit has given us a chance to see how Tamiru is thinking about quality, and how those ideas are being put into practice.

 

 

There is always something new to see at Alo. On one visit, stainless-steel fermentation tanks, more commonly found in breweries, were being prepared for more controlled processing. Elsewhere on the farm, Tamiru was experimenting with vermicomposting, using earthworms to improve the soil and reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers.

 

 

These experiments are part of the way Tamiru works. As Alo has grown, both in production and in the areas it manages, we have sometimes wondered how that growth might affect consistency. What we have seen instead is a gradual move toward more structured and reliable production. That consistency is a large part of why we have come to trust Alo’s coffees so deeply.

 

 

Finding Ethiopian micro-lots with both a distinct character and consistent quality has become increasingly difficult in recent years, as climate and growing conditions continue to change.

 

Alo remains one of the producers that stands out to us.