Farming and farmers go hand in hand
The average age of our coffee trees is 3 - 20 years. We have been producing coffee for 7 years now. We pick the coffee from mid-February to mid-July. We know when the coffee is ready to harvest when the cherries have turned red; we use sweetness to identify its ripeness.
We are passionate about our farmers and the relationship we have built through the years and the quality of coffee they supply.
We have introduced coffee waste management which helps us to reduce costs.
We also pay our farmers fair wages and help them with medical insurance and their children’s school fees.
High elevation creates rich, dense beans
What makes our coffee special is our perfect farming conditions.
Rwanda's elevation, temperature, soil quality, and humidity combine to create some of the best coffee growing conditions in the world.
The elevation at Shangi Farm and the washing station are located at 5,000 feet. This high elevation produces a dense, richer bean.
Due to less oxygen at higher altitudes, coffee cherries grow slowly, creating a more concentrated flavour. Arabica coffee plants grow best at elevations from 3,000-6,000 feet.
While many parts of Rwanda face difficulty growing coffee due to poor organic material in the soil, the Lake Kivu region is unique. Volcanic ash and soil mix to create a fertile combination, exceptional for coffee farming.
Rwanda is nicknamed, "land of a thousand hills," because most of the country is dominated by vast hillsides and tropical forests. Coffee plants thrive on the warm temperatures and humidity of the hillsides.
Processing San Coffee
Drying coffee in Rwanda is a unique process.
During this production stage, we carefully sort the coffee beans, picking out any under-ripe or pulper-nicked cherries, fruit skins, or beans that may have been soured in fermentation.
Coffee beans are then set on elevated drying tables where they sit, covered, for 15 to 20 days. This allows beans to dry evenly, at a rate that will not crack under the sun's heat.
All of these elements combine to create a beautiful cup of genuine Rwandan coffee.
