Rwanda Vunga Washed Red Bourbon Coffee

The Rwanda Vunga we sourced via Zuka Green.

History of Rwanda Specialty Coffee

The journey of coffee in Rwanda began in the early 1900s when German missionaries introduced coffee plants to the region. However, it wasn’t until the 21st century that Rwandan coffee gained international acclaim. The coffee industry faced significant challenges, including the 1994 genocide and the crash of the international coffee market. Despite these hardships, Rwanda has emerged as a producer of quality specialty coffee, thanks to strategic planning, educational projects, and committed leadership.

For us at Quaffee, we have experienced a varied quality from Rwanda, and have been very selective about the coffee we offer from Rwanda. We have been convinced by Zuka’s experience to once again offer a Rwandan, hoping it will be the beginning of a new strong relationship.

Muraho Trading Company (MTCo.)

Muraho Trading Company (MTCo.) was founded by two brothers who grew up in Rwanda. Their aim, to showcase Rwanda’s specialty coffee to the world, highlighting not only the coffee but also the people and the country that have given them so much. Rwanda has made significant progress since the horrific genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, transforming into a thriving nation. This remarkable turnaround is a testament to the resilience of the Rwandese people and symbolizes hope for the world.

Vunga Cooperative

Vunga is a well-established small cooperative led by President Uwimana Daphrose. Her collaboration with Muraho Trading Co. enhances Vunga’s coffee quality through its export and financing capabilities.

Unique Location

The Vunga Washing Station is uniquely situated in the Nyabihu district of northwestern Rwanda, near the borders of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This location provides several distinctive advantages:

• Proximity to the Virunga Mountains: The station receives its water from the natural springs of the Virunga Mountains, which are also home to one of the few remaining groups of mountain gorillas. This pristine water source is crucial for the coffee-washing process.
• High Altitude: The station is located at an altitude of 1650 to 2000 meters above sea level. This high elevation contributes to the coffee’s unique flavour profile, as the cooler temperatures slow the maturation of the coffee cherries, allowing for more complex flavours to develop.
• Rich Soil: The volcanic soil in this region is highly fertile, providing an excellent growing environment for coffee plants.
• Community and Resilience: Despite facing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, the Vunga Cooperative has shown remarkable resilience. The cooperative has continued to produce high-quality coffee and has even improved its infrastructure with the help of partnerships.

Coffee Processing

1. Cherry Sorting: Workers hand-sort all cherries before a pre-pulp float, removing underripe or damaged cherries and any foreign objects.
2. Floating and Pulping: Cherries float in pre-pulping tanks to remove any floaters before pulping.
3. Fermentation: Coffee ferments in dedicated concrete tanks for about 12 hours, with frequent agitation to encourage lower density parchment to float and clean off residual mucilage.
4. Grading: After fermentation, coffee moves to a large serpentine grading channel, separating parchment into different density grades.
5. Post-Wash Rinse: The parchment receives a final rinse before moving to a pre-drying area.
6. Pre-Drying Sorting: Workers hand-sort the parchment to remove any insect-damaged, discoloured, or chipped coffee.
7. Drying: The parchment dries and is turned regularly throughout the day for 30 days.

Details of Rwanda Vunga Washed

Here are the details of this coffee:

Starting brews

Transparency Information

Sources

• James Hoffman’s Atlas of coffee.
• Zuka Green notes provided.