Introduction to Angola's KIKULUNGO Coffee Cooperative - What is the Current Status of Angolan Coffee?

The Coffee History of Angola

Before independence in 1975, Angola's coffee production reached approximately 230,000 tons annually, making Angola the world's fourth-largest coffee-producing country. This reputation came to an abrupt end in 1975 with the outbreak of civil war.

The conflict lasted a full 27 years, devastating much of the country and claiming thousands of lives. Although it has been 12 years since the peace agreement, development has not yet reached an ideal stage. The country's infrastructure is slowly being rebuilt, and people's lives are gradually returning to normal. However, many are still recovering from the scars left by the war.

Even during the most difficult periods, many coffee farmers did not lose hope. They continued to produce coffee, even when they didn't know where they could sell it. Today, most of these brave farmers are part of our cooperative.

In fact, Angola was once the world's fourth-largest coffee exporter because its Robusta—so smooth yet intense—was unique. According to the National Coffee Institute, Angola's Robusta was in such high demand that after the war began, it had to be exported and cultivated abroad as the national coffee industry became paralyzed.

KIKULUNGO COFFEE COOPERATIVE

The Triases family has a tradition of coffee cultivation that dates back to when Angola was still a Portuguese colony. The Triases' predecessors made immense sacrifices to make Angola one of the world's largest coffee-exporting countries.

Kikulungo Coffee Cooperative was established in 2010 to provide support to small family coffee growers and offer them representation in the industry.

The Current State of Angolan Coffee

Quality and Quantity: Most existing plantations are decades old, resulting in reduced yields per hectare. The only remedy is to plant more hectares or new plantations, both of which require capital, and due to the production cycle, investments take several years to recoup. Additionally, many cooperatives lack sufficient hulling and cleaning machinery, which can affect the quality for manufacturers. Furthermore, coffee is significantly more labor-intensive compared to other crops, and cooperatives with personnel shortages ultimately end up reducing product quality.

Transformation: There are insufficient facilities to transform green coffee beans into finished products, and due to lack of access to machinery, many farmers simply wholesale the raw materials to walking vendors, who then process these goods in cities.

Transportation: Most farmers are located in rural areas, with Robusta production concentrated in Gabela, Amboim, and Kwanza Sul. Transportation to processing centers can be complex and expensive, meaning it often becomes the buyer's expense.

Export: Export requirements are not always clearly communicated, and paperwork and processing can lead to long delays and high costs. Given that international market prices (based on the London Commodity Exchange) are almost double those in Angola, these costs are worthwhile, but most cooperatives cannot bear these expenses upfront.

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Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473