TASTING NOTES:

Raspberry, Apple, Lemon-Lime

REGION

West Nyamasheke

VARIETY

Red Bourbon

ALTITUDE

1347 meters

PROCESSING METHOD

Natural

Rwanda Trading Company (RTC), established in 2009, is dedicated to creating positive social impact. Their mission focuses on securing economic freedom and security for smallholder farmers through building resilient and transparent supply chains. Impressively, RTC processes and exports 25% of Rwanda’s annual coffee production.

Owning and operating sixteen wet mills, RTC works directly with farmers throughout Rwanda. They handle buying, milling, processing, and marketing of the farmers' coffee, while also investing in producing communities with agribusiness training programs. Since 2013, these programs, aimed at cultivation innovation and cost reduction, have resulted in an 86% increase in farm revenue for RTC's producer-partners. This collaborative approach fuels sustainable economic stability from the ground up.

The Mwito Washing Station, located on the shores of Lake Kivu in West Nyamasheke, was constructed in 2008 but faced instability due to a lack of financing. Farmers lacked a consistent partner beyond the initial purchase of coffee cherries. RTC purchased Mwito in 2017 and began operations in the 2018 season. Within a year, all farmers were enrolled in RTC’s farmer impact programs for extension services and certification preparation. In 2019, RTC further invested in the community by building a kindergarten for the coffee farmers’ children.