McCabe's Coffee Origin Trip: Ethiopia.

At McCabe’s, our mission is to make our coffee, our community, and our planet better. To do that properly, sometimes you need to pack a bag, go shake hands with your partners, and see the operation firsthand. That’s why our ‘origin trips’ are so important to us. Most recently, was our excursion to Ethiopia, the “land of origins” and the “home of organic coffee”, to visit the farmers and communities behind your morning cup.

From Wicklow to Sidamo

Our trip was led by our local contact, Dejene, who introduced us to the Meda Buna Anferera Cooperative in Sidamo. Walking through the coffee plants growing gloriously under natural shade, we were greeted by dozens of farmers and community elders.

The hospitality was 10/10. We got to hear about the farm’s yield and see their production facilities, before being brought through the different community projects the co-op is active in. We all shared a traditional Ethiopian meal and enjoyed a traditional coffee roasted in a pan right in front of us. At this point, we presented Dejene with a small piece of Ireland: a 1994 Irish football jersey (the infamous “Dougal” jersey from Fr. Ted), which was met with pure delight.

Getting Down to Business

While the scenery was breathtaking, the coffee delicious, and the hospitality top tier, the most important question was asked many times throughout the tour of the farm.

“How much does the farmer get?”

In a country that exports 50% of its coffee yield every year (all the best stuff, btw), it is easy for the individual farmer or surrounding communities to be reduced to a step in the chain. Stephen was actively auditing his own supply chain, knowing full well that the answer might make his own job harder or the coffee more expensive, but this is exactly what McCabe’s Coffee stands for. We don’t just want organic coffee; we want a transparent, fair supply chain that ensures the people at the source are treated with the respect they deserve for the quality of the produce they farm.

Seeing the Impact in Yirgacheffe

Next up was Negele Gorbitu Cooperative in Yirgacheffe, the “Champagne” of coffee regions. Yirgacheffe is renowned for producing some of the highest-quality coffee in the world. On the way into the town, you are met with a big, bold sign: “Yirgacheffe, the land of organic coffee”. This farm was, again, beautifully nestled in the lush Ethiopian mountains, around 1,850m above sea level, perfect for speciality coffee. At these heights, the coffee cherries mature more slowly, allowing them to develop the complex, floral, and citrus-heavy flavour profile that McCabe’s customers love.

Once again, we were met by the very farmers who grow the world’s best coffee. Before long, we were brought through the facility and promptly handed a cup of coffee, drinking Yirgacheffe organic coffee metres from the plants it was grown on, with the hands that cultivated it. This is relationship building that cannot be achieved through any other means.

The most amazing part of the trip happened at the bottom of the hill passed the drying tables in Yirgacheffe. We visited a small school, one of three funded by the coffee cooperative and attended by hundreds of local children.

As we walked in, there was a flurry of excitement. We were swarmed by hundreds of children, all with bright, beaming smiles on their faces. It was a moment that hit us incredibly hard, and this is where the premium we pay truly comes to life. Choosing our organic supplier isn’t just a win for the natural environment; the benefits that ripple out were standing right in front of us: access to education for future generations.

We travel to these origins because transparency matters. When you buy a bag of McCabe’s, you aren’t just getting award-winning organic coffee; you are contributing to the communities that produce the coffee, supporting schooling, sustainable farming, local infrastructure, and so much more.

Keen to try Ethiopian Coffee?

Want to taste the magic of Ethiopian Coffee for yourself? We recommend you try our Ethiopian Single Origin here, a truly unique coffee experience, light in body, with elegant notes of red currant, jasmine, and bergamot. It is the perfect choice for those ready to explore beyond the familiar.