Danche Washing Station
Danche is one of three sites owned by SNAP Coffee, an exporting company founded by coffee enthusiast Negusse D. Weldyes in Addis Ababa in 2008. SNAP Coffee operates three coffee washing stations in the Chelelektu area of the Kochere District within the Gedeo Zone, as well as partnering washing stations in Uraga (Guji) and Nensebo (West Arsi). Each washing station receives cherries from approximately 550 farmers
Danche station is situated at 2100 masl, near Worka Town in Gedeb. Approximately 400 smallholders supply cherries to Danche. The fertile soil and good farming practices in the surrounding area contribute to good yields. Danche also holds organic certification. The main cultivars grown here are Welisho, Kurume, and Heirloom. Girum Assefa oversees the station, ensuring adherence to quality standards.
On average, the farms range from 1 to 2 hectares. Farms are located between 1925 and 2300 masl. Danche station’s close proximity to the farms allows for efficient transportation of cherries, reducing processing time. Farmers allow cherries to ripen fully before harvesting, believing it enhances sweetness. They also trust that the right time to begin picking will be revealed by their deity.
Processing
The cherries are collected by hand and carefully sorted. The coffee then undergoes fermentation in water-filled tanks for an average of 72 hours, with acceptable durations ranging from 48 to 100 hours. Post-fermentation, the coffee is graded in channels; cherries of lower quality (less dense) float and are removed, leaving the denser, superior beans to be sorted as higher-grade lots.
The coffee then gets dried on raised beds for approximately 8 to 20 days. The coffee is dried in layers of 2-8 cm, with the thickness adjusted based on the climate, the type of drying tables, and the drying stage.