Facts
Wet Mill: Tsheya
Region: Kivu
Territories: mostly Kalehe, South Kivu with some from Masisi, North Kivu
Elevation: 4790-6560ft
Process: Washed
Varietals: Bourbon, mostly
Producer: SOPACDI Cooperative
Tasting Notes
Fragrance/Aroma: Rose, Apple, Caramel, Baking Spices
Flavor: Apple, Caramel, Baking Spices, Raisin, Pomegranate
Body: Medium
Finish: Caramel
Acidity: Lively, balanced
We are excited to bring to our menu one of the first beautiful coffees from the Democratic Republic of Congo in a long time, and share the success that farmers of the Sopacdi Cooperative have achieved with their coffee. Bright, yet balanced, this coffee offers hints of rose, apple, caramel, baking spices in the nose. These aromas come through in the cup, and jammy fruit notes come forward, like raisin, strawberry, and pomegranate. Lower toned caramel in the finish and medium body give this coffee more balance than many coffees from East Africa. Overall the flavor profile is closest to coffees from Rwanda.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has not received much attention as a coffee producer for quite a while. Recent development and investment in the coffee infrastructure around Lake Kivu in eastern DRC brings new hope for the production of high quality arabica, providing a much needed source of income to a country that struggles with poverty and violence. Years of conflict drove people from their land. Those who stayed and tried to farm coffee were forced to sell their coffee to smugglers, or try to smuggle it themselves across Lake Kivu into neighboring Rwanda, both dangerous options.
Eight years ago a group of nine farmers decided to follow Rwanda’s example, renovating farms, building the first coffee mill in the area in the last 40 years, experimenting with farming methods, working toward and achieving Fair Trade and Organic status. They formed a cooperative called Sopacdi, with a mission to improve their families’ lives and community through coffee while promoting reconciliation between ethnic groups. Today the coop is 3600 coffee farmers strong.
Most of the Sopacdi farmers are from South Kivu, in the territory of Kalehe, with some in Masisi territory, North Kivu. The highlands around Lake Kivu are beautiful, with excellent coffee growing conditions, and very high elevation (~4790-6560ft). The people here live in small remote communities in these highlands. Their coffee cherries are brought to the new mill located in Tsheya where they are carefully washed and dried.
Click here to purchase this coffee.
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