Testi Ayla is located in the village of Shantawene, near the Harenna Forest Preserve. Over a thousand small-scale coffee farmers deliver coffee to Testi Ayla, all of whom grow indigenous coffees in the Bensa region. Operating an independent mill in a competitive region like Sidama has its challenges, but owner-operator Faysel Yonis has built a membership system to foster farmer loyalty, and he has helped develop community projects that support local people, which has been key to Testi Ayla’s success; another key factor is their passion for producing the highest quality coffee, both washed and natural. By maintaining their position in the community, they are able to select the best beans when harvest time comes. This way, they can process each batch perfectly, and they can handle the drying time when the weather changes dramatically from hot and dry to cold and wet. Testi Ayla’s business is centered around quality, not only putting the quality of the coffee first, but also valuing the land, the community, and the people who grow it.