The Finer Details

Wild Coffee From Ethiopia

Khalid Shifa inherited his family's coffee farm from his father, who received it from his grandfather - the man who first ventured into Choché forest to establish their plantations from wild coffee plants. Growing up following his mother during harvest, Khalid developed an intimate knowledge of the land that defines his work today.

This is genuine agroforestry where coffee grows naturally within Ethiopia's native forest canopy - an ancestral system over 400 years old. The forest delivers crucial environmental benefits: deep roots improve water circulation and drought resistance, canopy cover prevents soil erosion, and the ecosystem supports 10-15 tree species per forest. Growers intercrop timber and honey alongside coffee, preserving biodiversity that would otherwise disappear without coffee's economic value.

Khalid dreams his three children will continue this tradition, stewarding both the family land and the forest ecosystem it depends upon - protecting his heritage and the environment they'll inherit.