Did you know that Ethiopia is likely the birthplace of coffee?

From the legend of its discovery in the first century by a sheep herder to today, coffee grew into a top global commodity and is surpassed by only water and tea as the world’s most-consumed beverage.

VCC founder, John Clark, with some of the co-op managers at the Konga Cooperative in 2015.

And it all presumably started on a humble hillside in Ethiopia!

The name Yirgacheffe comes from the village Yirga Chefe near which this coffee is grown. Yirgacheffe is home to the most elusive and complex profiles Ethiopia has to offer. Located in the southern region of Ethiopia, Yiracheffee has ideal coffee-growing conditions such as rich volcanic soil, mountainous terrain, and just the right amount of annual rainfall to grow some of the best coffee plants on earth.

This outstanding organic coffee comes to us from one of our long-time organic partners, InterAmerican Importers, and is from the Konga Cooperative, a large partnership of Yirgacheffe coffee farmers. As part of the cooperative’s community-focused mission, it recently renovated buildings at a primary school and outfitted them with new supplies.

The Konga cooperative is one in a network of cooperatives in the Yirgacheffe region belonging to the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU). Its 2,400 smallholder members distinguish themselves with their impeccable attention to detail in processing.

After sorting based on density, the fermented coffee is washed in clean water before being dried for one to two weeks on cloth drying beds. Workers cover the coffee at midday and at night.

Workers cover the coffee at midday and at night to keep the dew from getting on the drying coffee.

Coffee is pulped with a 5-disc Agaarde pulper and wet fermented for 24 to 36 hours.

Grown at elevations ranging from 1,900 - 2,300 MASL (meters above sea level), Ethiopian heirloom varietals are chosen from the forest and transplanted to small gardens, adding a layer of selection to the incredible complexity available among wild coffee plants.

VCC Founder, John Clark, and VCC owner, Les Stoneham, had the opportunity in 2015 to visit the co-op while on an origin trip with InterAmerican Importers. We have featured their coffee in previous years and are excited to be able to offer it again.

Once the coffee is received in our roastery, it is expertly roasted to a medium roast degree. The coffee is allowed to rest for a few days and cupped in our Quality Control lab to ensure it is ready for our discerning customers. With tasting notes of Fiji Apple, Bergamot, and Black Tea and featuring a full body and bright acidity, this coffee is a great coffee for everyday drinking or for a special occasion.

At Vienna Coffee Company…

Our dedication to ensuring that we are a market leader in craft coffee throughout the southeast dictates that we apply the same critical scrutiny used for our complete coffee lineup to any product we offer.

This commitment demonstrates our continued pursuit to provide craft coffee that enriches the lives of customers and producers alike by providing an experience grounded in excellence and hospitality. We custom pick our green coffee beans from regions across The Coffee Belt and always seek responsible sourcing from seed to cup.

Our roasting team ensures each bean varietal is roasted according to its characteristics to enhance its peak flavors. Vienna Coffee Company goes further by evaluating each varietal harvest through coffee cuppings to evaluate and adjust its roasting profile.

Explore our complete line of coffees online or stop by the Coffee House and let our baristas do the brewing for you. We hope that exploring what we offer (whether its organic, single-origin, a VCC custom blend or your favorite flavored coffee) continues your journey in discovering that “Great Coffee is an Adventure”.