Worka Chelbesa is one of the most renowned coffee kebeles (communities) in the Gedeb woreda, located in the Gedeo zone in southern Ethiopia. This area, often considered part of the broader Yirgacheffe region, is known for its dense semi-forest vegetation: coffee trees grow in the shade of so-called “false bananas” and other tall trees, forming an ideal terroir for cultivating exceptional coffee.

In 2019, SNAP Coffee, founded by Negusse Debela, built a new washing station in the small village of Danche within the Chelbesa village area. The goal was to source exclusively ripe coffee cherries from local farmers. The station’s fermentation tanks are made of ceramic, which helps maintain temperature, accelerates fermentation, and contributes to the coffee’s clarity and cleanliness in the cup.

“Maharrissa” means “green color” in the Oromo language — a name that aptly captures the character of this lush, shaded land. The lot is composed of cherries collected from approximately 495 smallholder farmers in the surrounding area, each cultivating between 2 and 3 hectares of land. The soils here are predominantly red-brown — a particularly fertile type, rich in iron and highly acidic, which makes the cup of coffee remarkably expressive.

After harvesting, the cherries are delivered to the station, where they are sorted in flotation tanks to separate unripe and damaged fruit. The coffee is then depulped and left for dry fermentation in ceramic tanks for 2–3 days. Afterward, the parchment is thoroughly washed with clean water and spread on African beds to dry for 7–10 days. The washed process allows the terroir of the bean to express itself fully, highlighting its florality, clarity, and delicate acidity.