Shochoch Trading

SHOCHOCH TRADING is a new venture from Mr. Terefe Tadesse Godi, and business partner Mr. Musse Shibaba Babab who have many years of experience in the coffee export business at a local, national, and international level. Terefe has been working with us for a number of years on our Bench Maji range of coffees. He now grows coffee on his own coffee plantation still within the Dense Forest Ares of Bench Sheko, in the south west of Ethiopia. This is an area of huge diversity of coffees, and right in the middle of the accepted birthplace of Arabica. Coffees from the farm are categorized as wild coffees, forest coffees, and semi forest coffees.

This method of growing coffee allows the production of high-quality, speciality coffee varieties to buyers. The area is very ideal for coffee plantation having an annual rain fall of 400ml-2000ml, with shade cover creating slower growing cherries and better conditions for the plants.

Shochoch don’t only provide coffee from their own farm, but also work closely with local and national farmers’ cooperative unions and commercial farmers to source and create market opportunities for their products at premium price. They deal in Honey and spices too. Such method of sourcing from smallholders is based on set standards and involves our input at different stage of production while creating a strong incentive in all stakeholders to protect the forest and become specialty farmers that can change their lives.

Terefe says it “isn’t just about reassuring you that you are sourcing it ethically but ensuring that coffee you love or spices you use this year will be available again next year and the year after because these products cannot thrive if the farmers and workers who care for it don’t thrive as well.”

Born and raised in a farming community, Shochoch have firsthand experiences the challenges and poverty that communities face in the Bench Sheko Zone. That is why the company invests back 10-15% of its income in the community, pays higher prices when sourcing products and even educates the community on other sources of income such as opening up shops and more.

In addition to this, having their own plantation allows them to ensure sustainability of the land/forest we use to farm and enhance the livelihood of farmers and their families through employment opportunities and increased income opportunities.

Their dedication to sustainable practices, including using a portion of the profits to fund social projects in the area helps to produce consistent and traceable coffee that not only tastes and smells great but has benefited surrounding communities with minimal environmental impact. As such, we are excited to work with them.