Introduction to Malawi Mzuzu Smallholder Farmers' Cooperative Union and What Flavors Does Malawi Coffee Have?

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Mzuzu Coffee Planters Cooperative Union

Mzuzu is a union cooperative composed of 5 primary coffee farmer cooperatives, with approximately 4,000 farmers. Its full name is Mzuzu Coffee Planters Cooperative Union, abbreviated as MZCPCU. Similar organizations can be found throughout East African countries.

These 5 primary cooperatives are all located in important coffee-producing regions in northern Malawi. They are located in:

1. Misuku Mountain Area (Chitipa District)

2. Phoka Mountain Area (Rumphi District)

3. Viphya Mountain Area (Rumphi District)

4. Mzimba Eastern Mountain Area (Mzimba District)

5. Nkhata-Bay Highland (Nkhata-Bay District)

The Geisha variety from Mzuzu Union is mainly cultivated in the high-altitude production area of Misuku, with some coming from the Phoka Mountain Area. The Geisha variety originates from Ethiopia and was introduced to Panama via East Africa, where it gained prominence! However, Geisha varieties from different regions naturally have distinct flavor characteristics. Everyone might want to compare and taste them.

Malawi Coffee Geography

Malawi is located in southeastern Africa and is a landlocked country without access to the sea. The northern to central eastern part of the country borders Tanzania, forming a vast natural boundary with Lake Malawi. This lake even extends to the border with Mozambique. The western neighbor is Zambia. The central and southern parts of Malawi, from east to south all the way to west, border Mozambique. Malawi is considered a small coffee-producing country. Although production was only 25,000 bags in 2005 (60kg per bag), under the efforts of cooperatives like MZCPCU, both coffee cultivation area and harvest are growing year by year.

Malawi is also a member of the Eastern Africa Fine Coffees Association (EAFCA). At the annual SCAA exhibition and Europe's SCAE exhibition, the Eastern Africa Fine Coffees Association sets up booths to promote their products, thus gradually gaining exposure.

This May, in Long Beach, California, the East Africa Coffee Association carefully designed a yacht party to invite coffee buyers to try their coffee feast!

In the annual African Taste of Harvest coffee competition among countries, Malawi's coffee is also gaining more attention. Although its acidity is not as bright as Kenya's, its sweetness and aroma are quite impressive. Especially the 2007 new crop has more distinctive characteristics in oiliness and spicy sweet aftertaste!

Mzuzu Small Farmers Union Cooperative

As mentioned above, this union cooperative mainly has 5 coffee production areas. Each area has a Coffee Producers Association. The main tasks of the associations include breeding, cultivation guidance, education and training, organizing farmers, and maintenance of industrial roads. Farmers can freely buy and sell their harvested coffee cherries, unlike Kenya's centralized auction system. Therefore, the relationship between farmers and the government is relatively harmonious. As for Malawi's cultivated varieties, all are Arabica varieties, especially Agaro and Geisha. Since the Agaro variety has weaker resistance to CBD (Coffee Berry Disease) and leaf rust, many farmers have switched to growing Catimor varieties. Of course, some farmers still grow Mundo Novo, Blue Mountain, and Catura varieties that were introduced by missionaries in earlier years.

Misuku Region Processing

In the Misuku region, 70-80% of estates use terraced cultivation. Most farmers still follow organic fertilization practices. The harvest season runs from late April to October. Farmers start harvesting berries at 6 AM in the morning. This way, the coffee cherries harvested on the day can be sent to nearby primary washing stations less than 5 kilometers away in the afternoon for pulping. Then they enter washing channels and are led to fermentation tanks for 48-72 hours of fermentation (time depends on the local washing station's climate and fermentation conditions). These washing stations are all located within a 5-kilometer radius to avoid fermented off-flavors caused by sunlight and excessive time. The final cherry acceptance time is 2 PM, allowing all coffee cherries harvested that day to complete the pulping process, ensuring quality.

These primary cooperatives maintain consistent levels through such rigorous operations, and their produced coffee is still mostly acquired by European traders.

Basic Information

Country: Malawi | Grade: AA | Region: Misuku and other selected areas

Union Cooperative: Mzuzu

Variety: Geisha

Harvest Period: Latest arrival from 2006-07

Processing Method: Washed method, followed by natural drying on raised beds

Cupping Report

Roasting Method: Dropped at first crack medium, cinnamon roast, roasting time 12 minutes, close to Agtron/SCAA roast color card No. 60 (Roast color classification system)

Dry Aroma: Floral notes, herbal cool notes, spicy sweetness, citrus

Wet Aroma: Creamy aroma, plum fragrance, herbal sweet notes, tea, citrus family

Sipping: Apricot, white pomelo sweetness, distinct oiliness, spicy sweetness, lime, floral and fruity notes in the nose, light mint aroma, oily body with bay leaf notes, sweet chocolate and raisins, long-lasting aftertaste. When the coffee temperature decreases, berry acidity becomes lively again - it's a rich and complex good coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee suggests brewing with 90°C water for apricot, citrus, and lime flavors.

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