Rwanda Bufcafe Wins National Contest, Rebuilds Farms
Published May 1, 2008
The Bufcafe Cooperative of Rwanda has been steadily improving its coffee by reinvesting in its farms. This year, we got the pick of the crop.
Brew It At Home
Our newest crop of Rwanda is a stellar performer in both espresso blends and single-origin brewing. It's a well-rounded coffee with sparkling body and hints of vanilla, spice, and dark fruit — and it's perfect for brewing at home. You can buy bags online and have them shipped right to you. As always, we recommend grinding fresh and brewing in a French Press to fully experience the bright flavor and spicy fragrance of this exceptional coffee.
Water for the Mill
Growers who earn premium coffee prices can reinvest in their farms and increase the value of their coffee for years to come. At the Bufcafe Cooperative, the growers are doing just that. Last year's coffee premiums helped the farmers make major improvements to their coffee washing station, the Bufcafe Gkongoro Mill. The $13K project brought many benefits:
- Better facilities: the new catch and cistern provide enough water for milling
- Coffee quality: beans can now be fully washed for a cleaner, more flavorful brew
- Water conservation: the water is cleaned by ground filtration and used for agriculture
Thanks in part to these improvements, the Bufcafe Cooperative took home a Golden Cup at Rwanda's national coffee competition.
Roasting Notes
Gimme Master Roaster John Gant spends hours in the cupping room, choosing the best coffees for our roster. Learn more about his process, and our newest Rwanda, by reading his notes.
At Bufcafe Cooperative
The Bufcafe Cooperative is made up of about 3000 farmers with small plots — on average, only 200 trees per farm. The mill owner, Epiphanie, suffered great loss during the genocide, but she and the farmers in her co-op have been rebuilding their farms and making a better life.
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