Bishan Wate Washing Station

The Bishan Wate washing station sits nearly at nearly 2200 meters above the stunning Wate river. The site is owned by Testi Trading and operated by the Yonis family and their team.

Processing

Washed process

After harvesting by local smallholders, coffee cherries are delivered to the Bishan Wate station and depulped within six to eight hours to prevent unwanted fermentation and preserve quality. The seeds then undergo submerged fermentation in tanks for 36 to 48 hours. Once fermentation is complete, the parchment coffee is carefully washed in fresh water channels. The team monitors the clarity of the water, listens for the slight traction sound as the parchment moves, and checks by hand until the mucilage is fully removed. The clean parchment is then dried on raised beds beneath parabolic shade nets for five to seven days, depending on weather conditions. Once the coffee reaches a stable moisture content of 11 to 12 percent, it is moved to a nearby warehouse for storage.

Project Direct

Faysel and his team at Testi Trading makes significant investments in the communities that they operate in through their Project Direct initiatives. So far they have completed construction of multiple primary schools and even the first ever high school in the town of Hamasho, a small town in Sidama.