Notes of Cherry Hard Candy, Apricot, Melon & Brown Sugar

Producers: Mandomashe Farmer's Co-Op
Region: Mbozi District, Southern Highlands
Process & Variety: Washed Bourbon, Kent, KP423, N39
Altitude: 1600 masl

Mandomashe is a farmer group in the southern highlands of Tanzania, Mbozi district, serving four producer villages of Mandenga, Ndola, Mafumbo and Sheya (the first syllable of each village combines to create the group name). With over 150 member farmers and 150 non-members contributing cherry to the washing station (known locally as a CPU) at Mafumbo village, the group produces 20 to 50 tons of parchment per season. Bourbon, Kent, and hybrid varieties from Tanzania Coffee Research Institute are grown at an average elevation of 1600 masl. 

At harvest time, hand-picked cherry is pulped within 8 hours, then fermented for 12 hours in tanks where clean water is refreshed through the process. After the mucilage is removed, grading and sorting is done via washing channels before the parchment is conveyed to raised beds for drying. Moisture levels are consistently monitored on the tables until the coffee is ready to be bagged and taken to the mill.