Ethiopia Tuma Tesso

Clean and sweet with juicy watermelon jasmine florals and an apricot finish.

Tucked deep in the highlands of western Ethiopia, Atoma Station is Mike Mamo’s second venture in Gera Woreda. Guided by seasoned quality manager Fikru Demissie, it’s a place where cherries arrive on horseback, from farms so remote they’ve yet to see electricity.

Atoma, sometimes called “Telila Site Two,” began operating in 2022/2023. Though young, it leans on Fikru’s two decades of experience at Addis Exporter (its sister company, dry miller, and exporter), ensuring each lot benefits from hard-earned knowledge and meticulous quality control.

In Tuma Tesso kebele, harvest means long rides along rugged trails, with farmers delivering the cherry to the station, sometimes twice in a single evening.

The 2024/2025 season was unkind. An early start, little to no ripening rain, and unpredictable weather meant many cherries skipped the ripe stage altogether. A surge in cherry prices, while welcome for farmers’ incomes, reduced the incentive to sort carefully.

Yet, against the odds, Atoma produced coffee with the region’s familiar grace: soft melon, ginger spice, and bright citrus. It’s a cup that carries both the challenges of its season and the quiet determination of those who grew, delivered and processed it.

TRANSPARENCY INFO

PRICING EXPLAINED

 *This is the FOB (Free On Board) price: the price paid to the exporter before shipping, and which does not include shipping costs, weight loss (around 17%), storage and other charges. Ultimately, the FOB price represents the $ figure that stays in the coffee's country of origin, benefiting its producer, community, and beyond. 

^This is the 'raw' price paid directly to the producer, and paid in the local currency for parchment coffee. The coffee is then milled and sorted before being placed in bags, ready for shipping.

SNAPSHOT 

NOTES: Jasmine, Watermelon Apricot