Congo Coffee Regions | Congo Coffee Flavors | Kivu Region Mugano Cooperative

Introduction to Congo Single Origin Coffee

Region: Lake Kivu

Producer: Muungano Cooperative

Processing Method: Traditional washed processing

Grade: SC16/18

Variety: Original Bourbon

Altitude: 1300 to 1460 meters

Flavor Description: Grassy notes, apple acidity, citrus fruit sweetness, chocolate and malt syrup, with brown sugar and chocolate aroma in the aftertaste. A clean, smooth and texturally rich African coffee bean.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is located in Central Africa, with the equator crossing its north-central region. Local forest coverage is approximately 58.7%, making it the world's seventh-largest tropical forest. Agricultural products are abundant, mostly tropical crops suitable for Robusta coffee cultivation. The easternmost area is the edge of the frequently volcanic African Rift Valley, near Lake Kivu at an altitude of about 1460 meters. The coffee beans from Congo's Kivu region are named after this lake, which borders Rwanda.

In February 2010, Congo joined the Eastern Africa Fine Coffee Association, becoming the organization's 11th member, with the aim of further improving its coffee quality and export volume. In the 21st century, the local coffee industry is undergoing another wave of revival.

Muungano Coffee Cooperative

In Swahili, "Muungano" means 'unity,' guiding the farmers primarily associated with the Muungano Coffee Cooperative. These are the Batembo and Congolese of Rwandan origin, divided by war in eastern Congo. Through cooperation they have reunited to create better prospects for their families. From 350 founding members in 2009, the cooperative grew to over 4,000 members by 2014. Muungano's farmers are dedicated to producing high-quality specialty washed Arabica coffee. They invest in coffee nurseries and establish community-level washing stations, planting new seedlings and strictly harvesting coffee from renewed land. Muungano widely accepts cupping training to learn the skills and universal language of the professional coffee market, and opened two new washing stations in 2014.

Farmers tend to use homemade compost and mulch naturally. Since coffee is interspersed among villages and homes, they consider this important for people's health as well as the environment. Measures are taken to combat the danger of landslides during heavy rains, including planting trees with deep roots to strengthen the soil structure.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For the clean, apple-acid washed profile that Congolese coffee shows, FrontStreet Coffee's Gedeb Guttity Cooperative is a wonderful comparison. A washed single-origin from Gedeb village, it highlights jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity, and after a light-medium roast it opens into green tea and honey notes - clean and refined, and suited to pour-over, cold brew and espresso.

If you are drawn to the double-washed clarity of East African coffee, FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya Little Tomato is a top example. Kenya's traditional double washed process pushes the juice-like quality to the extreme, with notes of cherry tomato, smoked plum, snow pear, black plum and yellow sugar, plus a tangy, juicy body that many coffee lovers adore.