Tanzania Tembo Estate

In 2007, Leon and Aideen Christianakis joined forces with Mark Stell, founder of Portland Coffee Roasters in the U.S., to acquire and rejuvenate Acacia Hills Estate, and later Leon also purchase Tembo Tembo Estates and the two Estates boarder each other and are both located near Mount Oldeani. Perched at elevations reaching 1,900 meters, the estate is dedicated to cultivating high-quality coffee varieties. By emphasizing soil analysis, strategic shade management, and innovative processing techniques—such as controlled fermentation and shade-drying—the estate has continuously enhanced the quality and distinctiveness of its coffee. 

Red, ripe coffee cherries are carefully handpicked by skilled and experienced harvesters, with approximately 90% of them being women. These pickers precisely select only the fully matured cherries while discarding any underripe or overripe ones to ensure the highest quality. Once harvested, the cherries undergo a wet processing method, where the outer red skin is removed. Following this, the beans are left to ferment for a duration of 36 hours, allowing for the breakdown of mucilage and the development of desirable flavours. 

After fermentation, the beans are thoroughly washed to remove any remaining residue before being spread out on raised drying beds, which are carefully placed under shade nets to protect them from excessive sunlight while allowing for controlled drying. This drying process takes no less than 15 days, ensuring that the parchment coffee reaches the optimal moisture content. 

Once fully dried, the parchment coffee undergoes dry milling, where the outer layer is removed, and the green beans are carefully sorted and graded based on their size, shape, and density. This meticulous grading process ensures consistency and high quality. Finally, the sorted green beans are packed into food-grade jute bags, making them ready for sale.