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Introduction to Congo Kahondo Processing Plant: How Should Congolese Coffee Be Enjoyed?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). As the birthplace of coffee, Africa is a land abundant with wild coffee beans. It is well-deserved that the African continent produces some of the world's finest coffees. African beans have unique and fragrant aromas, wild flavors, and mostly carry a red wine-like acidity, such as Ethiopia's Mocha, which is particularly outstanding.

Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style).

African Coffee Excellence

As the birthplace of coffee, Africa is a land abundant with wild-flavored beans. It is well-deserved that the African continent produces some of the world's finest coffees. African beans possess unique and fragrant aromas with wild flavors, mostly carrying hints of red wine acidity. Ethiopia's "Mocha" is particularly outstanding (the Harrar and Sidamo regions produce high-quality Mocha beans through dry processing, with fruit or wine aromas unmatched by other coffees), and Yirgacheffe coffee beans are also exceptional. Kenya's varieties are exquisitely delicious, showcasing brighter and more lively acidity than Arabica beans from other regions. Kenya AA is a very renowned premium coffee bean.

Congo's North Kivu Region

Congo's North Kivu region boasts abundant rainfall, high altitude, and fertile volcanic soil, making it ideal for cultivating Arabica coffee (Coffea Arabica). However, this area suffers from lack of basic infrastructure - roads, vehicles, clean water sources, and reliable electricity are all scarce, making specialty coffee production difficult. Colonial-era large coffee plantations have dwindled to small-scale farmers, averaging only about 100 coffee trees each. The coffee cherries produced by farmers can only be resold to intermediaries at very low prices, and Congolese coffee is often smuggled to neighboring countries like Rwanda or Burundi, exported under other countries' names, further worsening farmers' income.

Kahondo Washing Station's Efforts

Despite these challenges, the Kahondo washing station overcomes various production difficulties by personally assisting farmers in improving cultivation and investing in local infrastructure. Through such efforts, coffee quality has been significantly improved this season, and consequently, farmers receive higher compensation than before.

Processing Method

Harvested cherries are placed in water tanks for washing and sorting, removing unripe cherries that float on the surface due to low density; these floaters are processed separately into lower-grade coffee. Mature cherries are placed on African raised beds for sun-drying for 12 to 15 days until reaching optimal moisture content. Cherries must be turned regularly and consistently to ensure even drying and prevent mold or rot. Once drying is complete, cherries are transported to Butembo for dry milling, grading, and finally bagging for export.

Global Recognition

World-renowned brands recognize Congo's exceptional coffee quality. Starbucks has launched Congo single-origin coffee, and Blue Bottle has also incorporated Congo into their blends.

Coffee Details

Origin Country: D.R. Congo

Variety: Bourbon

Region: North Kivu

Supervision: Virunga Coffee Company

Washing Station: Kahondo washing station

Producer: Local small farmers

Altitude: 1550-1900 meters

Processing Method: Natural

FrontStreet Coffee recommends brewing Congo coffee at 86-88°C to preserve its rich, full-bodied taste and wild characteristics.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. Online shop services are also available at https://shop104210103.taobao.com