Ethiopia · Growing region
Limu Coffee
- Species
- Arabica
- Preparation
- Fully washed · Natural
- Harvest
- October–January
Quick answer
Limu is an area of western Oromia at 1,400–2,000 m, historically associated with plantation and cooperative production. Its washed coffee is balanced and winey with moderate acidity — less piercing than Yirgacheffe and more structured than most commercial Ethiopian coffee.
Contract on: region · grade · screen · process · crop · moisture · defect tolerance · cup approval.
Request current limu coffeeThe area
Limu sits in western Oromia, at 1,400–2,000 m. Unlike the smallholder garden-coffee systems that dominate the south, Limu has a significant history of plantation and organised cooperative production, which has left it with more processing infrastructure per unit of production than many Ethiopian areas.
That structural difference shows in the product: Limu lots tend to be more consistent within a parcel than coffee from more fragmented catchments.
The cup
Washed Limu is balanced and winey: moderate acidity, medium body, with stone fruit and a light spice character. It does not have the floral intensity of Yirgacheffe or the fruit weight of a Guji natural, and that is precisely its use — it is an Ethiopian coffee that behaves predictably.
- As a blend component, where Ethiopian character is wanted without dominating.
- As an accessible single origin, more approachable than a high-acidity washed Yirgacheffe.
- As a consistent programme coffee, where parcel-to-parcel consistency matters more than peak intensity.
Practical notes
- Altitude
- 1,400–2,000 m
- Harvest
- October–January
- Processing
- Predominantly washed; naturals produced
- Grades
- Grade 2 common for washed export
- Structure
- Plantation and cooperative production alongside smallholders
- Port
- Djibouti
Limu enquiries
Tell us the volume and whether consistency or intensity matters more. Limu is usually the answer when it is consistency.
Request Current Crop OfferAvailability
Current Limu Coffee
Availability moves with the harvest, with milling and with prior commitments. Everything here is confirmed against the current crop on enquiry.
Request current Limu Coffee availability
Coffee availability changes throughout the crop and contracting cycle. Send the region, grade, screen and volume you are working to and we will come back with what is actually available.
Request Current Crop OfferQuality
Quality evaluation
Every parcel runs the same sequence before it is offered and again before it is loaded. What is reported for a given lot depends on what the buyer specifies.
- 01Physical gradePreparation class against the origin’s own system
- 02Screen distributionRetention plus the percentage passing
- 03Defect analysisFull defects per 300 g on a stated weighting table
- 04MoistureRange plus the measurement method and instrument
- 05Water activityWhere the buyer specifies it, for storage stability
- 06DensityBulk density in g/L, for roast planning
- 07Sample roastTo a cupping profile, not a commercial roast
- 08CuppingMultiple cups, against the approved sample
- 09Buyer approvalThe retained sample the shipment is measured against
Export
Packing and export
- Ports of loading
- Djibouti (primary transit port)
- Bag standard
- 60 kg jute; specialty lots frequently in GrainPro or vacuum packs
- Export window
- December–August, with the freshest arrivals January–April
- Incoterms
- FOB · CFR · CIF
Compare
Against the other East African origins
Grade designations do not translate between origins, and harvest windows barely overlap. This is how the region compares at a glance.
| Origin | Species | Main preparation | Representative grades | Harvest | Ports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanzania | Arabica · Robusta | Fully washed · Natural | AA · A · AB · B | June–October in the south; July–December in the north | Dar es Salaam · Tanga |
| Uganda | Robusta · Arabica | Natural (Robusta) · Washed Arabica (WUGAR) | Screen 18 · Screen 17 · Screen 15 · FAQ | Robusta main crop November–February with a fly crop April–July; Elgon Arabica October–February | Mombasa (Northern Corridor) · Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor) |
| Kenya | Arabica | Fully washed with soak · Mbuni (natural) | E · AA · AB · PB | Main crop October–December; early (fly) crop May–July | Mombasa |
| Rwanda | Arabica | Fully washed · Natural (growing) | Grade 1 (fully washed) · Grade 2 · Screen 15+ · Screen 16+ | March–July, with the peak in April and May | Mombasa (Northern Corridor) · Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor) |
| Burundi | Arabica | Fully washed with soak · Natural (limited) | Grade A · Grade B · Screen 15+ · Screen 16+ | March–July | Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor) · Mombasa (Northern Corridor) |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Where is Limu?
What does Limu coffee taste like?
When would I choose Limu over Yirgacheffe?
Request an offer
Tell us the Ethiopia coffee you need
Region, process, grade, screen, moisture, defect tolerance, crop year, packaging and destination. Send what you know and we will confirm what Ethiopia realistically supports for the current crop.