Back In Black
€15,50
Current Release: Burtukaana Goro Bedesa by Mekuria Mergia
Mekuria Mergia is a remarkable figure in the Ethiopian coffee sector. While most growers and entrepreneurs inherit their knowledge from previous generations, he entered the industry without any family background in coffee. As a young entrepreneur, he stepped in with determination and ambition. His first activities were collecting coffee cherries from local farmers and selling them to nearby washing stations. This role as a small-scale middleman not only gave him direct connections with farmers but also valuable insights into the dynamics of the coffee market.
Curiosity and ambition soon pushed Mekuria toward coffee processing. Through trial and error, he gained the expertise to establish his own washing stations and dry mills in the renowned Yirgacheffe and Guji regions. Supplying his coffee through the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX), he quickly built a strong reputation among exporters as a reliable source of high-quality Guji and Yirgacheffe coffees. In 2018, he took the next step by founding Wete Ambela Coffee Export PLC, which allowed him to export directly and manage the entire quality chain—from harvesting to shipping. Although his role evolved from smallholder agent to owner and exporter, Mekuria still sees himself as a representative of the farmers he works with.
Today, Wete Ambela operates five wet and dry mill stations and one farm across Yirgacheffe and several areas in Guji. Thanks to Mekuria’s reputation for honesty and reliability, he has earned the trust of hundreds of small producers, gaining direct access to exceptional coffees. One of the company’s key sites is the Goro Bedessa station, established in 2021. Located at 2,350 meters in Hambela Wamena (West Guji), the terroir is known for producing outstanding cup profiles. Each year, the station processes around 36 tons of coffee sourced from 400 to 600 farmers, each cultivating one to two hectares of land.
This Guji coffee, crafted from Ethiopia’s renowned Heirloom varieties, embodies the unique terroir of the region. Naturally processed at high altitude, it reveals a rich and complex cup profile with notes of plum, red apple, winey acidity, and a candy-like sweetness—a true expression of Guji’s craftsmanship and Ethiopia’s celebrated coffee heritage.
At the Goro Bedessa station, processing is both meticulous and innovative. Freshly handpicked cherries are carefully placed on one of the 100 raised drying beds, where they rest under the sun for an average of fifteen days. This attentive approach ensures that every bean develops its vibrant character, resulting in a cup that reflects both tradition and innovation.
What began with collecting small batches of cherries has grown into an internationally respected export company. Under Mekuria Mergia’s leadership, Wete Ambela Coffee Export PLC combines traditional craftsmanship with entrepreneurship and innovation, building a strong bridge between Ethiopian farmers and coffee lovers around the world.
About our series
At Lot One, our roasting philosophy begins with focus. Instead of offering a broad selection, we deliberately release only one coffee at a time. This allows us to fully immerse ourselves in a single origin, harvest, and flavour profile. By limiting choice, we create space for depth, precision, and care. Every roast becomes the result of attention rather than compromise, shaped by curiosity and respect for the coffee itself.
Our roasting approach follows the same mindset. We work with four distinct roast levels, but we avoid traditional labels such as filter, omni, or espresso. These categories can feel restrictive and suggest that a coffee belongs to only one brew method. We believe flavour is more fluid than that. Our roast profiles are meant to offer direction rather than rules, encouraging exploration across different brewing styles.
Nordburn is our lightest roast and the purest expression of the coffee’s origin. With a weight loss between 11 and 12%, this profile preserves brightness, acidity, and delicate aromatics. Expect clarity, precision, and a lively cup that rewards attention to detail. Nordburn works beautifully for those who enjoy nuance and are comfortable dialing in their brew.
Rumjack sits at the intersection of clarity and comfort, with a weight loss of around 13%. This roast level brings balance: sweetness becomes more pronounced, acidity softens slightly, and structure gains definition. Rumjack is versatile and approachable without losing character. It offers enough flexibility for experimentation while remaining reliable, making it a natural starting point for many brewers.
Smooth Operator leans into roundness and body. At roughly 14% weight loss, this profile develops deeper sweetness, softer edges, and a fuller mouthfeel. Flavours become more cohesive and comforting, with less emphasis on sharp acidity. Smooth Operator is forgiving and expressive, ideal for those who value texture, warmth, and consistency across different brewing methods.
Back In Black is our most intense roast level, reaching approximately 15-16% weight loss. This profile delivers more depth, with a more pronounced roast character. Acidity steps back in favour of richness and power.
Sunshot is our all year round coffee: a dependable staple with a vibrant personality. Designed to shine in espresso, Sunshot is always roasted to around 15% weight loss. This slightly more developed roast makes extraction easier and more consistent, while still preserving the distinctive character of the coffee itself. The result is an espresso that is balanced, expressive, and forgiving to work with, whether you are dialing in at home or behind a busy bar.
