Halo Hartume

The story

The Halo Hartume washing station was established in 2013 by Worasa Mijane and his son Daniel, both natives of the Gedeb district. This facility followed the success of their first site in Worka Sakaro, which Worasa began operating in the early 2000s. The station serves as a central processing hub for hundreds of local smallholder farmers in the Gedeo Zone.

Challenges

The farm operates in a region where coffee production is subject to the complexities of managing harvests from hundreds of independent smallholder farmers. Additionally, the station must maintain consistent quality standards while navigating the logistical demands of the Gedeb district's high-altitude terrain.

Innovations

The station utilizes traditional processing techniques, such as underwater fermentation for 24 to 48 hours and drying on raised beds for 10 to 14 days, to achieve specific flavor profiles. They have also implemented rigorous cherry sorting and pulping processes using disc pulpers to ensure consistency across their smallholder-supplied lots.