Rwanda Remera Twitezimbere Red Bourbon Washed (green)

Description

Province: Southern
Location: Nyamagabe District Gasaka Sector
Altitude: 1750-2100m above sea level
Arabica Varietal: Red Bourbon
Processing: Washed
Washing station: Remere
Owner: Buf Coffee

In the cup: Bright and distinct, with green apple, star fruit, grape and lemongrass. Maple syrup sweetness and a juicy body.

This coffee was produced by 32 small holder producers who farm coffee in the high hills surrounding Remera washing station, located in the Gaseke Sector of Nyamagabe District, in Rwanda’s Southern Province. The farmers are members of the Twitezimbere Farmer’s Group, a small association of producers who deliver coffee to Buf Coffee company, who own and manage Remera along with three other washing stations.

Most washing stations in Rwanda receive cherry from hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of farmers who own very small plots of land. Separation of such tiny lots is expensive and impractical, so the large majority of coffees are processed as a mixed lot from multiple producers. Typically, lots are separated as day lots (ie. cherries that were all picked on the same day) rather than by a single farm or producer group.

The farmers who make up the Twitezimbere group come from a nearby village called Nyabubare. Recently they banded together and made the decision to process and market their coffees separately as a smaller, more selected lot. The group also provide each other with invaluable support, by sharing resources and labour during the busy harvest period. They named their association Twitezimbere, which roughly translates to ‘we work together for development’ in the local Kinyarwanda language.

To distinguish their coffee and ensure it is processed separately, the producers have organised to deliver cherry to the washing station on certain days of the week. Selling their coffee as a separate lot allows them to directly benefit from any higher prices paid specifically for their coffees (rather than these profits being shared equally amongst all contributing producers) and results in a higher income to support their families. This creates an effective incentive for the farmers to work as a collective towards achieving the very best quality, and we think the results are evident in the complex and clean profile of their coffee!

(Info courtesy of Melbourne Coffee Merchants)