Surviving the Test of Time: Ethiopia’s Natural Process

Surviving the Test of Time:

Ethiopia’s Natural Process

Centuries of craftsmanship,

delivered right to your cup.

In a world where it seems that the only thing remaining constant is change, it’s often refreshing to find a practice that has survived generations. To watch a tradition that has stayed true to its origins is a sight to behold. And to witness a heritage carefully shared with younger generations inspires us to appreciate the wisdom found in ancestral habits. When discussing origins, we have to pay tribute to the origin--the place where coffee was discovered centuries ago: Ethiopia.

Photograph of sorting beans

Ethiopia’s Natural process has been a traditional way of drying coffee cherries for generations.

As water is not always readily accessible in certain coffee-producing countries, regions like Western Ethiopia have traditionally cultivated more unwashed and wilder tasting coffees. The dry method - also called ‘natural’ - involves taking whole coffee cherries and spreading them out to be cradled in the intense tropical sun.

When producing natural coffee, the process may seem quite simple, but the high level of quality required for each coffee cherry can make it a challenge. When using the washed method, there are opportunities to easily and mechanically sort out unripe or defective beans. But when pursuing the natural method, quality has to be ensured from the very beginning. After all, a healthy tree means a healthy fruit.

This is where the partnership between the AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, an initiative launched by Nespresso to safeguard sustainable quality and productivity within our coffee supply, and regional farmers has been beneficial. This partnership has ensured that a historic and local tradition can remain intact while establishing high quality from the start, as well as allowing for an increase in the volume of the harvest. Ultimately, the natural process is the original process--and we want to share it with the world.

Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program

The Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program was created in 2003 with the NGO The Rainforest Alliance. This tailor-made coffee program makes sure we can offer you the highest quality coffee while supporting sustainable livelihoods for farmers and their communities and protecting the environment.

Ultimately, the natural process is the original process--and we want to share it with the world.

The natural method keeps the fruit around the seeds as they dry, adding layers of sweetness and dry flavours to the bean.

So what does Master Origin Ethiopia with natural processed arabica taste like? This process, as well as keeping the fruit around the seeds, adds layers of sweetness and ripe, dry flavours to the bean. Skillfully done, the natural method applied to Ethiopian Arabica beans produces a very aromatic cup with delicate hints of flowers and unexpected wild notes of musk. We hope you’ll enjoy this fragrant and slightly wild coffee--after all, it’s centuries of craftsmanship delivered right to your cup.