Dimtu Coffee Industry and Shakiso smallholders
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Dimtu Coffee Industry is a specialty coffee producer and exporter based in the Tero Kebele of the Shakiso district in Ethiopia's Guji zone. The organization is significant for its role in connecting 798 certified organic smallholder farmers to the global market, utilizing high-altitude processing infrastructure to produce high-quality, traceable, and sustainably certified Arabica coffee.
Dimtu Coffee Industry operates in the Guji zone of Ethiopia, a region renowned for its high-altitude coffee production and distinct flavor profiles. The enterprise was founded by Getachew Zekele, who established the Dimtu Tero Farm in 2016, covering 151 hectares of land in the Tero Kebele of the Shakiso district. The company serves as both a producer and a central processing hub, integrating its own farm production with a network of 798 smallholder farmers who deliver coffee cherries to the Dimtu washing station, which was originally established in 2007.
The geography of the Shakiso district is central to the quality of the coffee produced by this network. Situated at altitudes ranging from 1,800 to 2,200 meters above sea level, the region provides the cool, high-elevation environment necessary for the slow maturation of coffee cherries. This climate, combined with the region's traditional cultivation methods, contributes to the development of dense, sweet, and complex flavor profiles often characterized by notes of stone fruit, berries, and florals.
Dimtu Coffee Industry manages a diverse range of processing methods to highlight the unique characteristics of Guji coffee. Their facility is equipped to produce fully washed coffees, which are noted for their bright acidity and clean citrus notes, as well as natural processed lots, which are prized for their bold, wine-like complexity and fruit-forward profiles. They also engage in experimental fermentation methods to produce rare, distinct flavor profiles for the specialty market.
The organization places a strong emphasis on sustainability and traceability, maintaining certifications such as Organic and Rainforest Alliance. By working directly with smallholder farmers, Dimtu provides a structured pathway for these producers to access international specialty markets. This model is essential in the Ethiopian context, where the vast majority of coffee is grown by smallholders on small plots of land, often using traditional, non-chemical agricultural practices.
Varietal selection at Dimtu includes a mix of local landraces and improved JARC (Jimma Agricultural Research Center) varieties, such as 74112 and 74158. These varieties are selected for their resilience and cup quality, reflecting a broader industry effort to modernize Ethiopian coffee production while preserving the genetic diversity that has historically defined the country's coffee sector.
For roasters and consumers, the Dimtu tag represents a commitment to transparency and quality control in one of Ethiopia's most prestigious coffee-growing zones. By centralizing processing and maintaining rigorous standards, Dimtu Coffee Industry ensures that the labor of hundreds of smallholder farmers is preserved through the supply chain, resulting in consistent, high-grade specialty coffee that reflects the specific terroir of the Tero and Mancity areas of Shakiso.