Chelbesa

Chelbesa is a specialty Arabica coffee from the Chelbesa washing station in the Gedeb district of the Yirgacheffe region, southern Ethiopia. It is grown at altitudes between about 1,950 and 2,200 metres above sea level by hundreds of smallholder farmers supplying ripe cherries to the station. The coffee is typically processed washed, with careful sorting, fermentation, and drying on raised beds. In cup, Chelbesa coffees may show ripe berries, chocolate, jasmine, honey, strawberry, and chamomile-like notes, depending on processing and roast profile.

Chelbesa is part of the Gedeo Zone in Ethiopia’s famed Yirgacheffe coffee-growing area. The region’s high elevations, fertile soils, and semi-forest landscape create conditions favourable for high-quality Arabica cultivation. Farmers in Chelbesa cultivate diverse heirloom varietals on small plots, often shaded by native trees, and deliver cherries to a local washing station managed with the support of companies like SNAP Specialty Coffee to ensure quality and consistency.

Ethiopia is widely regarded as the birthplace of Coffea arabica, with wild coffee plants native to its highland forests. According to legend, a goat herder first discovered the energising effects of coffee around the 9th century. Cultivation began centuries later, and by the 16th century, coffee was grown commercially in parts of the country. Today, Ethiopia remains one of Africa’s leading coffee producers, with coffee playing a central role in culture, economy, and export revenue. Much of its coffee production is carried out by smallholder farmers using traditional methods, with the crop supporting millions of livelihoods.