Ayla Shantawene Washing Station | Sidama, Ethiopia

Coffee Rooted in Community and Place

South of Shantawene village, surrounded by open grasslands and a winding river, the Ayla Shantawene Washing Station sits within the renowned coffee-growing region of Sidama, Ethiopia.

Here, coffee is deeply connected to the landscape and the communities who have cultivated it for generations. Cooler temperatures, steady airflow, and the natural environment create ideal conditions for producing coffees that are expressive, complex, and full of character.

Owned and operated by Testi Coffee, Ayla Shantawene Washing Station represents a commitment to building meaningful relationships with Ethiopia’s coffee-growing communities while producing exceptional specialty coffees. Through their work, Testi Coffee partners with hundreds of smallholder farmers, providing access to careful processing, quality-focused practices, and opportunities for producers to share their coffees with the specialty coffee market.

During harvest, approximately 725 organic smallholder farmers deliver carefully selected cherries to Ayla Shantawene Washing Station. Much of this coffee comes from family farms where harvesting and sorting are done by hand, carrying forward generations of knowledge, tradition, and care.

Patience Through Every Step

At Ayla Shantawene Washing Station, quality begins before the coffee ever reaches the drying beds.

Only fully ripe, red cherries are accepted. Each delivery is carefully hand sorted to remove underripe or damaged fruit, ensuring that only the highest-quality cherries continue through the process.

The selected coffee is then placed on raised drying beds, where it is continuously turned and sorted by hand. This careful attention allows the cherries to dry slowly and evenly, protecting the flavours that develop throughout the process. Depending on weather conditions, drying typically takes between 15 and 20 days.

This patience is at the heart of Ethiopian coffee. Rather than rushing the process, the team at Ayla Shantawene Washing Station allows time, climate, and careful human attention to shape the final cup.

The result is a coffee that reflects its origin—a coffee shaped by the highlands of Sidama, the dedication of smallholder farming families, and the careful work of the Testi Coffee team.

Investing Beyond Coffee

For Testi Coffee, producing exceptional coffee is only part of the responsibility.

Through their Project Direct initiatives, Testi Coffee continues to invest in the communities surrounding their washing stations. These projects focus on creating long-term opportunities through education and local infrastructure.

One of their most meaningful achievements has been supporting the construction of primary schools and the first high school in Hamasho, a small town in Sidama. These investments create opportunities for children and families, helping strengthen the communities that make specialty coffee possible.

This approach reflects a belief we share at Common Goal Coffee: a sustainable coffee future depends on supporting the people and communities behind every harvest.

Why We Partner With Ayla Shantawene Washing Station

At Common Goal Coffee, we believe coffee is about more than quality alone. It is about the relationships, people, and communities connected to every step of the journey.

Ayla Shantawene Washing Station represents the values we look for in our producing partners: respect for smallholder farmers, careful stewardship of the land, investment in education, and a commitment to creating a stronger future for coffee-growing communities.

Every coffee from Ayla Shantawene tells a story of collaboration—from the farmers who carefully hand-select their cherries, to the Testi Coffee team who brings knowledge and infrastructure to the region, to the communities building a brighter future beyond coffee.

We are proud to share that story with our roasting partners.