Black as well, sweet as love, coffee wakes us up in the morning and keeps us awake during the day.
Coffee grown worldwide can trace its heritage back centuries to the ancient coffee forests on the
Ethiopian plateau. The story goes that Kaldi discovered coffee after he noticed that after eating the
berries from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they did not want to sleep at night.
In Rwanda, coffee was introduced by German missionaries and settlers in early 1990s but large scale
coffee production was established during 1930&1940sby Belgian colonial government. In the 1990s two
crises threatened the future of coffee in Rwanda – the crash of the international coffee market and the
genocide against Tutsi in 1994. Rather than abandoning the industry a National Coffee Strategy was
developed, and international funding and organizations stepped in to support its revitalization. Rwandan
coffee plays a major role in the economy of the country, contributing significantly to foreign exchange
earnings and to the monetization of the rural economy, and currently, 450,000 small holder farm
families produce it and depend on it for their livelihoods.
The history of the Rwandan coffee industry, has not only kept coffee production from the Land of a
Thousand Hills alive – it transformed it into one of the most sought after coffees in the modern world.
The high elevation and moderate climate conditions make the country an ideal place for the unique
coffee growing conditions, and the beans are popping with earthy and fruity flavors. About 95% of beans
are the high quality Arabica varietal Bourbon, with a silky creamy body and hints of lemon, orange
blossom, and caramel in the after taste.

Coffee plantation and coffee processing trips offered by a host of plantations or cooperative are a must-
try while visiting the Rwanda. Have you ever wondered how our specialty coffee reaches your cup? You
will be taken through the coffee plantation to the washing station. Your guide will explain how the
coffee is fermented, sorted and washed. This process removes the outer skin of the coffee bean in a way
which develops the right tastes and aromas of the beans inside. The coffee is then sorted into different
grades depending on the hardness and weight of each individual bean. After hulling, polishing, sorting
and grading, roasting is the next step in which the green beans are transformed into the aromatic rich
brown beans. After successfully roasting coffee beans are ground and boiled, the cupper tastes and
smells the brew to experience aroma as an integral step in the evaluation of the coffee’s quality.