Worka Hurea

Tracon Coffee, has been exploring innovative processing methods since 2015 to create distinctive coffees and add value for producers in Yirgacheffe. Among these innovations is anaerobic fermentation, introduced across several of their washing stations to showcase new flavour possibilities.Despite these advancements, coffee farming in Yirgacheffe remains deeply traditional. Smallholder farmers typically intercrop coffee with food crops, maximizing land use while providing additional food security for their families. Most farms are also organic by default, with little to no use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Farm work is largely carried out by family members using manual labour.

To improve quality, Tracon provides ongoing training focused on selective harvesting and careful cherry handling. Farmers handpick only ripe cherries and deliver them to the Worka washing station, where each delivery is carefully inspected. Only fully ripe cherries are selected for the anaerobic process.The selected cherries are sealed in GrainPro bags and fermented in an oxygen-free environment for 18–24 hours. Following fermentation, the cherries are transferred to raised African beds and dried under direct sunlight. Workers regularly turn the coffee to ensure even drying, with the process taking approximately two to three weeks to achieve optimal moisture content and preserve the coffee's unique flavour profile.

As specialty coffee continues to grow, producers are increasingly adopting innovative processing methods to distinguish themselves. One such technique is anaerobic fermentation, which takes place in sealed, oxygen-free environments. As naturally occurring microbes consume the available oxygen, the fermentation environment shifts, favouring microorganisms that thrive without oxygen while suppressing aerobic microbes.Because different microbes produce different flavour compounds, controlling the fermentation environment can significantly influence the final cup profile. By limiting oxygen exposure, producers can encourage unique microbial activity, resulting in coffees with greater complexity, intensity, and distinctive flavour characteristics that set them apart in an increasingly competitive market.