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Rwanda Musasa Cooperative African Elephant Coffee

Rwanda Musasa Cooperative African Elephant Coffee is grown at altitudes of 1,500 to 2,000 meters. Composed predominantly of Bourbon varieties and processed using traditional washing, it delivers a dried-lemon aroma, wild-berry fruit acidity, citrus notes, juicy plum flavors, maple sweetness and deep chocolate undertones.

Rwanda's Coffee History

Rwanda lies in the heartland of central Africa. Coffee was introduced by German missionaries in 1904, and from 1930 onward cultivation began to flourish, since coffee was the only crop rural farmers could earn income from. Whether it was Arabica, harvested between March and June, or Robusta, harvested between May and June, the government encouraged, indeed commanded, the production of low-quality, high-yield coffee. Though the quality was poor, it still helped the economy at the time, as one of the few crops that could generate cash income. As global competition grew, however, the policy of continuing to export low-quality coffee inevitably had to change.

The 1994 Genocide and Its Impact

The 1994 genocide claimed 500,000 lives and very nearly erased the knowledge and techniques of Rwandan coffee cultivation. At the same time, world coffee prices collapsed, making matters worse for the industry.

Rwanda's Coffee Renaissance

Rwanda is now experiencing a resurgence, steadily rebuilding its infrastructure. The most notable initiative is the Partnership for Enhancing Agriculture in Rwanda through Linkages (PEARL), which primarily helps Rwanda rebuild its agricultural institutions and production capacity and train talent so that smallholders can do business directly with buyers. Following the 2007 "Crop of Gold" competition, Rwanda held its first Cup of Excellence (C.O.E.) in 2008, drawing still more buyers' attention to the country's high-quality beans.

Geography and Natural Advantages

Rwanda's position in the interior of central Africa, its mountainous terrain with fertile soil and its ancient traditional Bourbon varieties all point to one thing: the country has the natural conditions needed to grow high-quality coffee. Coffee was brought to Rwanda by German missionaries in 1904. From 1930 onward, because coffee was the only crop rural farmers could earn income from, cultivation began to flourish. Whether Arabica, harvested between March and June, or Robusta, harvested between May and June, the government encouraged, indeed commanded, low-quality, high-yield production. Despite the poor quality, it played a significant role in Rwanda's economic development at the time, as one of the few crops able to generate cash income. With the subsequent collapse of world coffee prices, the policy of continuing to export low-quality Arabica inevitably had to change.

Recovery and Industry Development

The 1994 genocide claimed nearly 500,000 lives and nearly caused the knowledge and techniques of coffee cultivation to disappear. At the same time, global coffee prices plunged, deepening Rwanda's coffee crisis. Rwanda's coffee industry is now undergoing a revival, hoping to steadily rebuild the infrastructure needed for specialty production and processing. The most notable initiative is the Partnership for Enhancing Agriculture in Rwanda (PEARL), which helps Rwanda rebuild its agricultural institutions, production capacity and agricultural talent so that local small farms can sell beans directly to specialty coffee buyers.

Unlike neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia, Rwanda has no centralized auction system, but its agricultural cooperatives can do business directly with buyers. Being landlocked, however, means exported coffee must travel 1,500 kilometers to reach Kenya's Mombasa port or Tanzania's Dar es Salaam port. Following the 2007 "Crop of Gold" competition, Rwanda held its first Cup of Excellence in 2008, which drew even more buyer attention to its high-quality Bourbon beans.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Rwanda shares much of its terroir and its Bourbon heritage with its neighbors, so if you enjoy the clean, citrus-and-floral style of East African washed coffees, FrontStreet Coffee has a few you will want to try. FrontStreet Yirgacheffe Gedeb Cooperative, from the Gedeb village, is a traditional washed coffee whose process brings out jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity; roasted medium-light, it opens into green tea and honey notes and suits pour-over, cold brew and espresso alike.

FrontStreet Kenya Little Tomato is another standout washed coffee, one that Kenya handles with a double-wash process. Repeated soaking and rinsing push the juice-like quality to the extreme, giving a bright, complex cup of cherry tomato, smoked plum, snow pear, black plum and muscovado sugar aromas that is sweet, tangy and juicy.

And for a washed coffee at the very top of the classic tradition, FrontStreet Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 is worth the splurge: the washed process keeps the aroma rich, with pure hazelnut, cream, chocolate and caramel notes and a perfectly even balance that no flavor is out of place.