Reji Kebele - Ethiopia

About the Coffee

Daye Bensa Coffee was founded by Asefa Dukamo in the Bensa district of Ethiopia's Sidama region. Dukamo built the business around a straightforward goal: give local farmers a more reliable path to market by filling in the gaps in training, financing, and technical support that many smallholders couldn't access on their own. The Reji Kebele lot comes from the Abenet Alemayehu washing station in Odo Shakiso, within the Guji Wereda of Oromia. Farms here sit between 1,900 and 2,100 meters above sea level.

Daye Bensa works directly with smallholder producers, collecting their cherry at washing stations like Abenet Alemayehu where processing is tightly controlled. This lot is washed (meaning the fruit is removed from the seed before drying, rather than dried together) and dried over 10 to 15 days. Harvest runs from October through December. The elevation and the careful post-harvest handling at this altitude tend to produce clean, well-defined coffees.

About Hale

Hale Coffee is an independent roaster based in Toronto's Junction Triangle neighbourhood, having started out on Queen and Spadina. The company was built on the idea that specialty coffee belongs in Toronto, not just in niche circles but as a regular part of the city's food culture.

Hale sources through direct trade relationships with producers, with the stated aim of making sure farmers receive fair prices for their work. Their sourcing spans multiple origins, with Ethiopia being a region they return to consistently.