{"title":"African Coffees","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"mozambique","title":"Mozambique, Namaacha, Local varieties, Natural","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"37\" data-end=\"271\"\u003eMozambique’s coffee industry is still in its early stages, rebuilding after years of decline. With support from \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eAMOCAFÉ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, the country is working to grow production and establish itself in specialty coffee. Most farms are linked to reforestation projects, but Namaacha Green Farm near \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eMaputo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e stands out as the largest producer in the south. The farm grows mainly Red Bourbon at 700–800 masl and processes all coffee as naturals on raised beds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eA unique tasting lot from an almost new producing country, with gin like flavours of juniper, citrus, chamomile and grapefruit - A tiny lot that's perfect for the explorers among us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eDETAILS\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eMozambique’s coffee industry is at the embryonic stage, with most modern coffee projects only beginning post-2020. Historically, the Portuguese colonial administration emphasised tea production in Mozambique, while promoting coffee farming in Angola. During its \u003cspan\u003ecolonial occupation, Mozambique was mostly known for Robusta\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecoffee production, and by the time civil war broke out in 1977 following the declaration of independence in 1975 it produced around 1000 metric tons per year. This quantity declined significantly throughout the fifteen years of war, now down to only 100 tons 40 years later.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eIn recent years the government of Mozambique has created a ten year sector development plan that aims to increase production to 5000 hectares from the current total of around 300, and has created AMOCAFÉ a national association of coffee producers. The government aims to export 100 tons of coffee in 2025, nearly triple the previous years harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ambition, driven by the AMOCAFÉ, is to turn the still emerging coffee production into a sector that can rival the continent’s leading names within the next decade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eMost of the country’s current coffee projects are focused on the reforestation of degraded lands, primarily in the central regions of Gorongosa and Chimanimani, with new shade-covered coffee production used as a method for reforesting lands previously cleared for more intensive agriculture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eNamaacha Green Farm is something of an outlier. A small family farm managed by brothers Polyphile and Muhire. It's located in the region of the same name in the south of the country, west of the capital city Maputo and close to the borders with Eswatini and South Africa.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe farm currently has four hectares of land producing coffee, and over the past year, Polyphile and Muhire planted an additional four and a half hectares with coffee seedlings. They’ve also introduced shade cover plants, which are still younger than the coffee trees but will eventually provide shelter and protection. Today, Namaacha stands as the largest coffee operation in Maputo Province and the entire southern region of the country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe coffees are grown at 700-800masl and the bulk of production is red bourbon with some smaller amounts of yellow bourbon and local varieties. All coffees are currently processed as naturals on raised beds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"250g \/ Whole Bean","offer_id":57412539220303,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"1kg \/ Whole Bean","offer_id":57412539253071,"sku":null,"price":62.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0929\/6953\/3775\/files\/newsquares-73.jpg?v=1775642834"},{"product_id":"rwanda-sholi-washed","title":"Rwanda Sholi,  Bourbon, Washed","description":"\u003cdiv data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA rich, balanced cup delivering the classic red fruit acidity, sweetness, and dark chocolate finish created through the pairing of Red Bourbon and the fully washed process, this coffee is a reminder of the beauty and potential of specialty coffee to combine exceptional quality with meaningful, life-changing impact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore than almost anywhere else in coffee, Rwanda demonstrates how intentional quality-focused production can transform rural economies, strengthen communities, and create sustainable futures through agriculture. This coffee feels emblematic of that journey: precise, elegant, structured, and deeply human.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin \u0026amp; Producers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRwandan coffee is one of the greatest demonstrations of how specialty coffee can work, with intentional, progressive year-on-year improvements in quality leading to higher values and financial returns for rural economies and networks of primarily female producers working together in self-organised co-operative structures. If sustainability combines economic, social, and environmental factors — and the ability to develop production in harmony with all three — it is difficult to imagine a better example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhilst coffee began in Rwanda as an entirely volume-based business under Belgian colonial rule, with forced labour and other exploitative conditions, the industry collapsed during the economic pressures of the 1980s, which were also a catalyst for the 1994 Genocide. As part of the reconciliation and rebuilding that followed, coffee — already understood by much of the rural population — was chosen as a vehicle to rebuild smallholder economic activity, create jobs and export income, and foster meaningful communal working relationships through mill structures supporting both society and financial stability.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith international support and a long-term focus on embracing quality rather than quantity, Rwanda developed a coffee industry now regarded as one of the world’s most positive examples of specialty coffee’s potential.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike many East African countries, Rwanda has no large estates. Most coffee is grown by approximately 400,000 smallholder farmers and their families, many farming less than a quarter hectare each. This small-scale structure means lots are typically consolidated through mills or co-operatives, where community and shared infrastructure become essential.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis lot comes from members of the Kundwa Women Coffee group, a female-only producer association operating within the Abateraninkunga Ba Sholi co-operative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocated in central Rwanda, Sholi was established in 2008 by 30 women seeking to invigorate the local economy through coffee. Initially, coffee played only a small role due to the lack of local processing infrastructure, but as membership expanded the co-operative invested in its own washing station, opening in 2014.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Abateraninkunga” translates from Kinyarwanda as “mutual assistance,” reflecting the values underpinning the co-operative’s growth. Today, over 600 producers contribute coffee grown between 1,800 and 2,000masl. Alongside Fair Trade certification and Cup of Excellence recognition, the co-operative has invested heavily in local infrastructure including healthcare, water access, and community spaces available to both members and non-members alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariety \u0026amp; Processing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhilst initially introduced to Rwanda by German and Belgian colonists in the early 1900s, Bourbon’s prevalence today is largely due to its suitability for Rwanda’s altitude, rainfall, and volcanic soils, alongside the country’s intentional shift toward quality-focused production systems after the 1994 Genocide. Recognising that Rwanda’s geography would never allow it to compete as a volume producer, many rebuilding initiatives instead focused on producing exceptional quality coffees capable of generating greater long-term value. Today, Red Bourbon accounts for roughly 95% of Rwanda’s coffee production.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a fully washed lot, a process traditionally reserved for the highest quality selections from each producer group. Farmers deliver hand-picked cherries to the co-operatively owned washing station, where they are sorted both manually and by floatation to remove underdeveloped cherries before being de-pulped and wet fermented for 15–18 hours, typically overnight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing fermentation, the coffee is washed clean and graded by density through long washing channels. Denser, higher-quality beans are separated for premium lots such as this before being moved to shaded pre-drying tables and finally raised beds, where they dry slowly over 14–21 days depending on weather conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis careful process highlights the acidity, clarity, and sweetness typical of Bourbon, whilst preserving the structure and elegance that define classic washed Rwandan coffees. The result is a cup that feels vibrant and articulate without losing warmth or depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re especially excited to offer this coffee alongside a natural processed lot from the same producer group, allowing a rare opportunity to explore how processing alone can dramatically reshape flavour and texture from the same terroir and variety.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOur Connection\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI had the great honour of attending AFCA in Kigali in 2019, running barista workshops with champions from across Africa whilst spending time with Maxime and the team from Covoya, who sourced this coffee and have worked with Sholi for many years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring that trip I visited several mills, including Sholi itself, and witnessed first-hand the extraordinary optimism, professionalism, and ambition driving Rwanda’s coffee sector forward. Coffee here feels deeply connected to community, not simply as an export product, but as a mechanism for rebuilding livelihoods, relationships, and long-term possibility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExporters are often simplistically described as “middle-men,” but in reality they provide the financing, logistics, quality support, and long-term relationships that allow coffees like these to travel across the world. Watching the Covoya team reinforce their relationships at their annual 'Producers Awards' at the event was one of the most moving experiences of my time in coffee. Following some welcoming demonstrations of traditional dances, producers from all across Covoyas multi-generation Africa projects mingled, shared stories, and were celebrated by each\u0026amp;nbsp;other. Whilst I'm often cynical about market forces and the dynamics between 'business' and 'sustainability' the power and value of meaningful work, pride, dignity and hope were displayed with true honesty and passion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Ithaka","offers":[{"title":"250g","offer_id":57810836586831,"sku":null,"price":14.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"1kg","offer_id":57810836619599,"sku":null,"price":48.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0929\/6953\/3775\/files\/Artboard_65_copy_4_3x_9cbc51af-bc1d-4030-ad03-0e8f5e5c6e6e.png?v=1781699066"},{"product_id":"rwanda-sholi-bourbon-natural","title":"Rwanda Sholi,  Bourbon, Natural","description":"\u003cdiv data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis coffee represents another side of modern Rwanda: confident, experimental, and increasingly willing to explore new expressions of flavour whilst remaining rooted in the same values of community, quality, and long-term sustainability.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere the washed lot from Sholi feels precise and structured, this naturally processed version reveals something softer, wilder, and more expansive — a reminder that processing is not simply technical, but creative. The same land, the same variety, and the same producers can tell entirely different stories depending on how coffee is handled after harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin \u0026amp; Producers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRwandan coffee is one of the clearest examples anywhere in the world of how specialty coffee can generate meaningful social and economic transformation when quality, collaboration, and long-term thinking are prioritised together.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing the collapse of the country's colonial-era commodity coffee systems and the devastation surrounding the 1994 Genocide, Rwanda consciously rebuilt its coffee sector around smallholder quality production. Coffee became not only an export industry, but a mechanism for rebuilding rural livelihoods, encouraging co-operation, and creating sustainable economic opportunity through shared infrastructure and producer-led organisation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, Rwanda's coffee industry remains overwhelmingly smallholder based, with approximately 400,000 farming families cultivating tiny plots across the country's mountainous terrain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis coffee comes from members of the Kundwa Women Coffee group operating within the Aba Sholi co-operative in Muhanga District. Founded in 2008 by 30 women seeking to create stronger local economic opportunities, the co-operative has steadily grown into one of Rwanda's most admired quality-focused producer groups. Today, over 600 producers contribute cherries to Sholi, with the co-operative investing profits back into healthcare, infrastructure, education, food security, and long-term community resilience.The values of “mutual assistance” embedded within the co-operative’s name remain visible throughout its work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariety \u0026amp; Processing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhilst washed coffees have historically defined Rwanda's reputation, processing some of the top selections naturally represents an exciting evolution within the country's specialty sector \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eincreasing the diversity of flavour and value created for the smallholders.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bourbon variety’s density and sweetness, combined with Rwanda’s high elevations, cool evenings, and slow cherry maturation,  provide exceptional raw material for natural processing. Here, rather than removing the fruit immediately after harvest, the coffee cherry remains intact throughout drying, allowing sugars, acids, and fruit compounds from the skin and mucilage to influence flavour development over time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis lot is naturally processed via traditional sun-drying on raised beds. Cherries are harvested and sorted by hand before being floated to remove underdeveloped fruit and isolate only the highest quality cherries for drying. They're then dried slowly under cover on the beds for around 40 days depending on ambient conditions, carefully turned and monitored throughout to ensure even drying and stability.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNatural processing tends to create a broader, heavier cup profile than washed coffees, often amplifying fruit character and sweetness whilst softening acidity. In this coffee, that process transforms the clarity of Rwandan Bourbon into something more layered and complex, whilst still retaining the balance and elegance that make coffees from Sholi so compelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTasting the washed and natural lots side-by-side offers a rare opportunity to experience just how dramatically processing can shape perception, texture, and flavour from the exact same terroir.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails open=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOur Connection\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eI first visited Rwanda in 2019 during AFCA in Kigali, spending time with producers, exporters, and coffee professionals from across East Africa whilst running workshops alongside champions from across the continent.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat struck me most was the sense of optimism surrounding coffee in Rwanda. There is an extraordinary openness to learning and experimentation alongside a deep understanding of coffee’s ability to support long-term social and economic rebuilding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat spirit feels especially present in coffees like this. Producing exceptional washed coffees already requires immense precision and infrastructure, but natural processing introduces another layer of complexity and risk. Seeing producer groups like Kundwa, in partnership with Sholi, confidently exploring these methods whilst maintaining such remarkable quality feels symbolic of how far Rwanda’s coffee sector has come in a relatively short time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI’m incredibly grateful to Maxime, Phil, Howard and the wider Covoya team for helping build and maintain the relationships that allow coffees like this to both exist and travel across the world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Ithaka","offers":[{"title":"250g","offer_id":57811204211023,"sku":null,"price":14.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"1kg","offer_id":57811204243791,"sku":null,"price":48.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0929\/6953\/3775\/files\/sholi_61.jpg?v=1780046703"}],"url":"https:\/\/ithaka.coffee\/collections\/african-coffees.oembed","provider":"Ithaka","version":"1.0","type":"link"}