
The Lalesa drying station, established in 2023 and led by a women-owned exporter, supports smallholder farmers cultivating local heirloom varieties using traditional, chemical-free methods. Through the Ama Commitment program, women growers receive higher-than-market prices and benefit from meaningful community initiatives — including an on-site day care centre. Situated in Yirgacheffe’s famed Gedeb district, Lalesa is managed by Ephtah Specialty Coffee, a newly founded women-led exporter employing more than 350 people. Their focus on sustainability, women’s empowerment, and long-term community development is reflected in every lot they produce. This release is the natural-processed expression — rich, fruit-forward, and deeply comforting, with notes of red apple and cotton candy.