Minani, Rwanda — July 2024

JULY SUBSCRIPTION

Hello,

This month we are pleased to bring you a coffee that is the product of a long-term relationship.

Minani, Rwanda

Minani Anastase is a Rwandan coffee producer who is fortunate to have enough land to create his own coffee lots. Most Rwandan coffees are made up of coffee from hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of coffee farmers. These coffee farmers belong to a local co-operative and deliver small amounts of coffee that are processed and blended at a washing station. In most cases, this is branded under the name of the washing station, not the producers themselves.

Because Minani's coffee is unblended, he can control the processing of his coffee, and measure the variables that influence quality, with more precision. In the five years of offering his coffee, we have had the pleasure of seeing great consistency, even in the seasonal downshifts of coffee quality.

Minani has been growing coffee for over 50 years, contributing to the establishment of the Dukunde Kawa Cooperative. Dukunde Kawa gives other local coffee producers a non-corrupt place to sell their coffee. Corruption amongst the middlemen of the coffee industry was a major issue, but after the Rwandan genocide in the mid-90s, more cooperatives started forming. Positively, the forming of these co-operatives helped in raising the income of the average farmer.

We are always so proud to be working with people like Minani; the only question that I am left asking is 'Will the future generation continue his legacy?' The value proposition of growing coffee is less and less attractive to the younger generation, as they witness the hard work and constant battle for livable wages/pay that their parents face. Rwanda, as a producing coffee country, is struggling a lot with this pressing issue. I always raise awareness of this side of coffee, because I hope my kids will be able to enjoy the same coffees I have, and hopefully in an even fairer and more transparent way.

Kindest regards,
Ben