Megadu (Ethiopia)

Blackberry, Pét-Nat, Concord Grape & Juicy

Origin Ethiopia
Region Guji
Producer Dawit and Hester Syoum
Variety 74112 + Enat Buna (wild varieties)
Elevation 2,098 masl
Processing Anaerobic Natural

Bette Buna is a vertically integrated coffee company founded in 2020 by husband-and-wife team Dawit and Hester Syoum. Their story began after inheriting Dawit’s grandparents’ century-old farm in Sidama, where they committed to creating equal opportunity for coffee-growing communities through the production of exceptional coffee.

Today, Bette Buna operates farms in Guji, Yirgacheffe, Sidama and Bench Maji, and partners with allied producers throughout Ethiopia. Their guiding belief - a house built on coffee - captures the idea that kindness, diversity and community can transform livelihoods when paired with quality-driven farming.

This lot comes from Megadu Farm, located in the Guji Zone of southern Ethiopia. The 220-hectare property is divided between semi-forest and wild-forest plots where coffee grows under natural canopy. The farm employs about 850 people, including both full-time and seasonal staff. In addition to fair wages, Bette Buna provides transportation to the remote site, housing, meals and satellite education for children who accompany their parents during harvest.

Megadu Lot 25.14 was produced using Natural Anaerobic processing. Ripe cherries with the full fruit intact were sealed in tanks fitted with air valves, allowing oxygen to be expelled naturally and creating an anaerobic environment. Fermentation developed through native yeasts and microorganisms. The team then used pulp juice from previous lots 25.12 and 25.13 to guide fermentation, building complexity and structure. Once fermentation was complete, cherries were rinsed and dried first on a ceramic patio, then on layered solar-dryer beds for slow, even moisture reduction.

Traceability & Transparency

This coffee represents a level of traceability that’s exceptionally rare in Ethiopia. Most Ethiopian coffees are produced at cooperative washing stations, where cherries from hundreds or even thousands of smallholder farmers are combined before processing. That structure makes it nearly impossible to trace flavor and quality back to a specific farm or harvest lot.

Cup Experience

The cup opens with blackberry and red grape sweetness, balanced by juicy citrus brightness and a Pet Nat-like effervescence. Floral aromatics of coffee blossom linger, giving way to a structured, fruit-forward finish. This lot is a standout among contemporary Ethiopian naturals.