SEARCHING FOR PERFECTION IN EVERY BEAN
At Kerchanshe we are highly conscious of the fact that the quality of our beans is what sets us apart. And to continue producing coffee that meets international quality standards we had to assure the future of our coffee beans.
WE DEVISED OUR QUALITY POLICY AROUND OUR THREE MAIN STAKEHOLDERS: OUR FARMERS, OUR CUSTOMERS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Our Farmers
For Ethiopians, coffee growing is deeply rooted in their culture as well as history. It is the chief source of livelihood for more than 1.2 million smallholder farmers. Despite being the leading producer of Arabica Ethiopian farmers face serious challenges such as poverty, lack of investment in coffee quality, and environmental degradation, causing many to struggle in creating sustainable growth.
So to increase the volume of coffee of sustainable quality, we constantly engage with our farmers at every step. Our engagement equips farmers with today’s best agricultural practices to increase farm-level productivity and resilience. Modern science is seamlessly blended with centuries-old farming wisdom to produce a bounty of premium coffee.
Coupled with the passion for fine coffee at the heart of Kerchanshe is the consistent reinvestment not only in improved infrastructure, technology, and processes but also, investment of ten percent of its annual profits into social responsibility programs such as building schools and providing clean water to the communities it serves.
Environment
The climate is changing and that’s a fact. These changing conditions affect the ability of farmers to continue growing high-quality coffee on their farms and, ultimately, the wellbeing of their families. That’s what led us to forge a unique relationship with the coffee farmers that helps improve their livelihood while sustaining the environment.
With a strong adherence to the principle of sustainability, our farmers are supported on each coffee growing stage by our outreach program the ‘Out Grower Scheme’ through our NGO, the Buna Qela Charity Organisation.
Through it, farm-level adaptation practices that are good for coffee and nature are promoted. Regular training on coffee quality management, focusing on harvesting and post-harvest handling, and other social and environmental practices that are required by different certification standards are conducted.
Other adaptation practices such as coffee stand management, crop renovation by replacing the old stock with new and more disease-resistant coffee seedlings, promoting the use of compost to improve soil fertility, etc. are also done. Also, to provide additional income to the farmer, assistance is provided in improved methods of food crop
production and livestock husbandry.
Customers
The customer is at the heart of all our efforts. In our steadfast commitment to always give customers the best, we ensure that only the finest, cleanest coffee is selected based on origin, aroma, flavour, and body. Each coffee bean is ensured to be distinct in taste and unique in aroma, with flavours that cannot be replicated.
Our supply chain starts from the many ‘Microlots’ supported by Kerchanshe. These are small plots of land growing coffee trees with special quality (85+ cupping score) with more time and attention are given to developing its uniqueness. These farms are surveyed in detail and categorized and certified using different standards like Organic, FairTrade, and Rainforest Alliance.
During harvest, only the ripest of coffee cherries are selectively picked which is one of the key differences that make our coffee unique. The harvested coffee is processed keeping in mind the evolving and sophisticated user taste. Processing methods are used as a creative tool to bring in product differentiation be it accentuating fruit notes, sharpening or softening acidity, or fattening or lifting the body.
Achieving Quality is Not a Goal but an Ongoing Process
At Kerchanshe, teamwork, engagement, ownership, and support by everyone are vital for achieving our quality objectives. In this scenario, we are committed to providing continuing professional training and support to our team for their considerable efforts and commitment.
Our ambition and passion for coffee is no mean feat, but the tangible outcomes we see around us are what keeps us going. For us, success is not restricted to providing the highest quality coffee, but also ensuring the best interests of the toiling hands who are growing it and the confidence that the land we sustain on are preserved for generations to come.