The People's Farm - Rwanda Limited Release

Rwanda
Medium Roast
Blood Orange, Cherry, Anise 

This lot comes from smallholder farmers nearby to Kivubelt's original estates. After establishing their own coffee estates in the Gihombo area, Kivubelt acquired 2 local washing stations to capture coffee long produced by surrounding smallholders, often grown at higher elevations than their own farms. Jarama Coffee Washing Station (Jarama CWS) is one of them, and the coffee produced here has come to be known as "People's Farm” coffee, a clever way of illustrating the collective nature of a tight-knit smallholder community.

Coffee Story

The Nyamasheke District in Rwanda is a region rich in terroir, shaped by the cool, humid influences of Lake Kivu and the Nyungwe Forest National Park. These natural elements provide abundant precipitation and groundwater, nurturing the steep, hilly landscapes ideal for coffee cultivation. The district is part of the East African Rift, where continuous geological activity enriches the soil with volcanic minerals, contributing to the unique depth and complexity of its coffee. As a result, coffees from Nyamasheke are known for their fuller body, jammy balance, and layered flavors. Beyond coffee, the district is home to breathtakingly terraced shorelines, a vibrant fishing industry, and a growing tourism sector that keeps the region lively and dynamic.

Kivubelt Coffee, founded in 2011 by Furaha Umwizey, exemplifies sustainable and community-driven coffee production in Nyamasheke. After earning a master’s degree in economics in Switzerland, Umwizey returned to Rwanda with a vision to create a model coffee plantation that prioritizes both agricultural excellence and local economic empowerment. Starting with 200 acres in Gihombo, Kivubelt has since planted 90,000 coffee trees and now provides employment for over 400 people during harvest seasons. In addition, the company acquired two local washing stations, Murundo CWS and Jarama CWS, which serve more than 500 smallholder farmers by offering quality premiums and training programs. The coffee processed at these stations, known as “People’s Farm” coffee, highlights the collective effort of smallholder farmers and processors, proving that collaboration can yield coffee with the impact and presence of a large estate.