Region: Nyamasheke, Western Province (Near Lake Kivu)
Farmer/Grower: Celestin and Marie Rumenerangabo and 236 other households
Washing Station: Muhororo Washing Station
Varietal: Red Bourbon
Process: Natural
Altitude: 1700-2100 MASL
Tasting Notes: Black Cherry, Toffee, Citrus
Body: Medium
Recommended Brew Methods: All Brew Methods

This natural processed coffee is different than other naturals we’ve carried recently. With a medium body, this coffee delivers a complexity of citrus notes such as lemon and grapefruit, a black cherry note prevalent at first sip, and toffee lingering throughout.

The history of this coffee dates back to 1973, when Celestin Rumenerangabo walked from Nyamsheke to Kigali to seek work to care for his single mother. He returned in 1976 to buy land and planted 380 coffee trees. Over the next two decades, Mr. Rumenerangabo, along with his wife and mother, grew their business to more than 14 coffee collection sites that included new scales so that farmers could get more accurate pay for their harvest.

In 1994, long standing ethnic tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi people erupted into one of the most brutal genocides the world had ever seen. At the onset of the violence, Mr. Rumenerangabo took his family and fled across Lake Kivu to an island in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There they lived as refugees for years until they could return to Nyamasheke to restart their lives and coffee farms. Within two years, he was trading over 30 tons of parchment coffee.

Despite struggles from multinational companies moving in and acquiring washing stations, the sons of Mr. Rumenerangabo were able to open 2 new washing stations in 2014, Gasharu and Muhororo, which began exporting in 2019.

By purchasing this coffee, it helps fund the Rugori Women’s Crown Program, established by Hacea Coffee Source’s partners (HCS is FLC’s importing partner) at Gasharu and Muhororo. The community and social program is focused on providing health care, child care and livestock for those working at the Muhororo washing station.

"To the people drinking our Coffee, we hope you enjoy this coffee as we do our best to get the best quality possible. We also thank you for supporting our family and our community, because without you paying for a cup of coffee from these beans, we would not be able to sustain our farms. We hope you will continue to enjoy this coffee and regular buy so we can continue to grow our farms, support our community through the livestock and health insurance programs.” -Translated from Ms. Marie Gorette Mukamurenzi