Washed coffees have fallen out of favour lately, and we think that’s a bit of a shame. A classic washed East African coffee like this should be on everyone’s wish list! Washed coffees are often known for their acidity and complexity, and we’re finding crisp notes of marmalade, summer berries, and white tea here. It's refreshing and bright, and comes from a tenacious group of Rwandan coffee producers.
We sourced this coffee through our friends at Falcon, who are partnering with Rwanda Trading Company to help support skilled farmers and processors like Kageyo Co-op.
Kageyo is situated in the fertile highlands skirting Lake Kivu in west Rwanda. It was established in 2009, when a cooperative of smallholder farmers received a loan to build a CPU (Coffee Processing Unit) where they could process their coffees. These smallholders grow coffee on small plots amongst the surrounding hills, where altitudes undulate between 1800 and 2000 meters.
Before building the washing station, Kageyo Co-op had only produced semi-washed coffee. During their first year of operation in 2010 they processed 67 tons of coffee cherries and miraculously took 2nd place in the Cup of Excellence (COE) competition in Rwanda. The following year, Kageyo won the 2011 competition, representing an incredible achievement for the co-op of farmers and the washing station. However, despite their success at COE, the 2011 season was a struggle, with lower-than-usual yields that made repaying their building loan extremely difficult.
In 2013, Kageyo began working with Falcon's origin partners, Rwanda Trading Company, to market their coffees to overseas buyers more effectively. RTC also offered to help with Kageyo's yield and production issues, which were holding them back and hindering the group from capitalising on the high-quality coffees that they had become known for. In 2015, RTC agreed to purchase the washing station and eradicate the co-op's debt whilst crucially keeping the co-op structure intact. It is a relationship that goes from strength to strength, and Falcon has secured approximately 50 bags of Kageyo's yearly output.
Elevation: 1800-2000 meters above sea level
Varietal: Red Bourbon
Cup Score: 86
Price paid per kilo: £8.15
Process: Fully washed
