ONYX - Tamiru Tadesse Alo Village | Ethiopia - Dry Washed - JARC Selection 74158

ONYX Coffee Lab is located in Rogers, United State

From ONYX

Alo Coffee’s main station selections represent the core of their work in Bensa, high-elevation coffees sourced from surrounding smallholder farmers. Through precise harvesting and carefully managed processing, Alo produces clean, expressive lots that showcase the clarity, sweetness, and floral complexity that define Sidama’s most celebrated terroir.

Alo Coffee was founded by Tamiru and his wife, Messi, shortly after Ethiopia’s first Cup of Excellence competition in 2020. After years working within the Ethiopian coffee sector and experiencing widespread issues around undervalued quality and inconsistent pricing, the introduction of CoE demonstrated that exceptional coffees could finally receive proper recognition. Motivated by this shift, they established Alo Coffee, and in 2021 their first submission, a lot produced in their home village of Alo in Bensa, won Ethiopia’s Cup of Excellence, setting the foundation for their quality-driven approach.

Alo Coffee operates an extensive network of high-end processing stations throughout Sidama’s Bensa, Bona, and Burra zones, as well as West Arsi’s Nensebo district. Their focus is on selectively harvested, high-elevation coffees, produced in close collaboration with smallholder partners who primarily cultivate the 74158 variety developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC). This variety, known for disease resistance and strong cup quality, forms the backbone of their offerings. The company works across both traditional and experimental processing methods. Alongside washed and natural coffees, Alo Coffee incorporates controlled fermentations using coffee-derived materials such as Mossto, cascara, and mucilage. These approaches allow them to offer clean, terroir-forward coffees while also producing innovative, competition-oriented microlots that highlight new fermentation techniques.

Alo Coffee is also expanding its genetic portfolio. In 2024, they obtained seeds from Panama’s Elida Estate through partners Andrea and Erik, followed by additional seed material received from Wilford Lamastus in 2025. The first seedlings were planted on their farm in April 2025, marking the beginning of longer-term genetic diversification efforts. Beyond production, Alo Coffee maintains a strong commitment to community support. They work directly with 60 farmers at the Alo Washing Station and more than 800 farmers across their broader network. A portion of company profits is reinvested in local initiatives such as school development and seedling nurseries, and quality bonuses are provided during financially difficult periods to help stabilize farming households. Alo Coffee’s overall mission is to elevate the standard of Ethiopian coffee by prioritizing quality, advancing processing innovation, and reinvesting in the communities that sustain their work. Their approach is centered on consistently showcasing the full potential of coffees from Sidama and West Arsi without compromising the livelihoods of the producers involved.