Vicious Circle | Ethiopia

WHY THE NAME?

Vicious Circle is a reminder that we need to attempt to break the cycle or at the very least be aware of it’s hold on all of us. Ethiopian coffees are some of the most sought after in this nearly 4 billion dollar industry, however, only about 1% of that wealth ends up in Africa. As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopians farmers are also struggling through this vicious circle; trying to make ends meet by selling coffee that they often don’t get to enjoy themselves. I wanted to bring some awareness to this part of the coffee world which is often overlooked. 

In line with the ethos of the Zero boys, the name of this coffee represents the vicious circle of capitalism, civilization, social stratification, teen angst, and political corruption; the endless cycle of despair, anger, and feeling of powerlessness.

We’re all inevitably brought into this cycle at birth and we’re constantly working to escape or break free from the cycle with little to no avail but we can still try to the best of our ability to show up for eachother and do what we can to uplift those around us.

About the coffee

Ethiopia Natural Sidamo Grade 3 

Sidamo is one of the three trademarked coffee growing regions (Harrar and Yigracheffe). Centered in the Great Rift Valley, along the western half of Ethiopia. The Great Rift Valley is home to some of the oldest known fossils of humankind, suggesting its importance in early human development. 

Like much of the coffee produced in Ethiopia, this coffee comes from a collection of small farmers who hand pick their coffee and deliver it to a local area washing station. This station processes the coffee and prepares it for export.