Ethiopia Alo Chilaka Natural

Why We Love It

Reflect on the first time you experienced Ethiopian coffee—the bright, lemony acidity, the juicy sweetness of a ripe summer peach, or the captivating burst of blueberry that lingers in your memory. These unforgettable flavors define the heart of specialty coffee, offering a window into its storied past and an exciting vision for its future. Even as the coffee world evolves, Ethiopian coffee remains a timeless and extraordinary constant.

ALO Chilaka Natural embodies the essential magic of Ethiopian coffee, with flavors that unfold layer by layer, sip by sip, creating an experience that feels both ever-changing and familiar. The meticulous care and attention that goes into this coffee’s preparation ensures a seamless connection between Ethiopia's heritage and your senses.

In the cup, you’ll encounter refined fruit notes, starting with vibrant overtones of peach, honeydew, and concord grape. Midway, the coffee reveals layers reminiscent of wild blueberries and mango. As it cools, tropical-floral hints emerge—guava, passion fruit, jasmine, and lavender—all harmonizing to create a complete and full flavor experience.

This coffee offers an unparalleled experience and stands as a true expression of Ethiopia’s remarkable quality. We invite you to savor each sip of this extraordinary coffee, lovingly produced by Tamiru Tadesse, the ALO Team, and the smallholder farmers of Chilaka village.

About the Producer 

Tamiru's journey to becoming a legend in Ethiopian coffee began in Bensa Woreda, a district in the Sidama region where coffee was more than just a crop—it was a way of life. Growing up in a community of smallholder farmers, many of whom depended on coffee for their livelihoods, Tamiru saw firsthand the struggles they faced. Despite producing exceptional coffee, these farmers had little access to markets that could truly reward the quality of their work. The lack of connection to high-value supply chains left them with limited prospects for improving their lives.

Determined to change this, Tamiru took a bold step in 2020. During a time of global uncertainty, he founded his own coffee washing station and export company, ALO. He began by purchasing coffee cherries from his neighbors and exporting them to high-end specialty markets in Southeast Asia. Over time, his business expanded into Europe, bringing Sidama's exceptional coffee to new audiences.

Tamiru’s gamble paid off in 2021 when his coffee took first place in the prestigious Cup of Excellence, a remarkable achievement in an incredibly competitive field.

Today, Tamiru is recognized both in Ethiopia and around the world as a visionary leader. The farmers who once had little hope for a stable future are now receiving higher wages and recognition for their craft. Thanks to Tamiru, coffee from Sidama is enjoyed by enthusiasts in cities from Tokyo to Shanghai, Berlin to London—and even in our own town of Viroqua, Wisconsin.

About the Coffee

Historically, Ethiopia has often leaned on traditional coffee production techniques—methods steeped in history but slow to evolve or change. While these time-honored processes have certainly produced incredible coffees, they can also cap the potential for groundbreaking flavor profiles. Enter Tamiru Tadesse and the ALO team, whose innovative approach is rewriting the narrative of Ethiopian coffee. Through forward-thinking methods, they’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, elevating Ethiopian coffee to an entirely new level.

At ALO, coffee production is personal. Most of their selections range from just sixty to five hundred pounds, what we call true "nanolots." Nearly all coffees are made to order, with the vast majority being pre-sold to elite coffee roasters across the globe. Knowing this, we secured our selections well ahead of harvest by working closely with Tamiru, ensuring we could bring these exceptional coffees exclusively to Wonderstate.

This particular selection from the Chilaka village is a prime example of what we call a “classic natural.” There's no fancy processing—no anaerobic fermentation, no yeast inoculation, and certainly no co-fermenting. Instead, this coffee is the result of a collaboration between Tamiru, the team at ALO’s Chilaka Station, and the eighty smallholder farmers of Chilaka village. These farmers meticulously picked only the ripest cherries and brought them to the station, where they were promptly compensated for their labor. From there, the ALO team hand-sorted the cherries through multiple stages, removing virtually all defects. The cherries were then carefully dried on raised beds for an average of 22 days, protected from harsh midday sun with UV-resistant netting, and exposed to full sunlight in the mornings and late afternoons.

So, why is this coffee the best sun-dried natural we’ve ever tasted? It’s simple: meticulous cherry selection, expert drying, and proper storage. While the process for sun-dried naturals may seem straightforward, it's all too easy to go wrong with unripe cherries, improper drying that throws off moisture levels, or poor storage. But with Tamiru and the ALO team, every detail is perfected. The result? The cleanest, fruitiest, most explosively flavorful natural coffee we’ve ever experienced. It’s nothing but pure, vibrant fruit flavor in every cup.