The farmers of Idido, Yirgacheffe, have a word in the Gedeo language for something that is exceptionally sweet or outstanding. That word is malebo.
Introducing the Malebo Project, a new Ethiopian Grade 1 washed coffee exclusively offered by Cafe Imports, created in collaboration with Ardent Coffee Exporters and driven by social responsibility. Ardent Exporters is a supplier that knows quality doesn’t happen by chance; it’s built through attention to detail at every stage. This approach, combined with the natural richness of Idido, Yirgacheffe’s most pristine coffee growing microclimate, has resulted in a truly special coffee, but the project extends beyond the product, too. Every pound sold will help support the Ardent Children Center, an orphanage serving the Idido community.
The Idido Washing Station, located in the village of Idido, is operated by Ardent Coffee Exporter and serves around 1,200 producers from the villages surrounding Yirgacheffe Town, including Idido, Aricha, Worka, Chelbesa, and Halabariti. The Idido area is highly remote and fertile, qualities that are becoming increasingly rare across Ethiopia. At 2,200 meters above sea level, Green Buyer Claudia notes that the richness of the soil and the density of vegetation can be smelled in the air. This well-maintained ecosystem was the perfect location to develop this singular offering.
The Malebo Project was the only washed coffee produced by the Idido Washing Station this season and was carefully handled from the time the cherries were received. The coffee was sourced from member farmers, with the ripest cherries selected at the peak of the season for the lot. It was then float-sorted, rinsed, depulped, and fermented for 36 hours in purified water to fully remove the mucilage. The cleaned seeds were dried on their own raised beds for 10 days, sorted by hand daily, until reaching a moisture content of 11.2%. The coffee was then collected in bags and rested for six weeks in Ardent’s warehouse before being milled, bagged, and sorted for export to our global warehouses.
Beyond the processing and purchasing of this coffee, our planning with Ardent also emphasized impact. Ardent Coffee Exporters has established two Ardent Children Centers, providing a safe and happy childhood to 70 orphaned or semi-orphaned children between the Bensa and Yirgacheffe locations. Each orphanage has two caregivers, a teacher, two cooks, two guards, and regular health checkups, all to ensure the children grow up in a loving, playful environment that supports their development. For each pound of Malebo coffee sold, $0.10 will be donated to the Idido Children’s Center to help cover essential needs, including food, medical care, and school supplies. Learn more about the Children Centers here.
The Malebo Project is a chance to enjoy Idido’s only washed coffee of the season. These project lots are beautiful, offering a glimpse of a place and time in each cup, and Ethiopia is one of our favorite countries for this kind of work. Malebo, however, is about more than the product. The mission to support the local orphanage motivated everyone involved in producing this lot to maintain the highest standards of quality, consistency, and care, and it also inspires us at Cafe Imports.
Fresh stone fruit, floral, and caramel flavors with a tangy acidity.