Chameleon
Another fantastic and versatile coffee that brews excellently as an espresso or filter. As an espresso, it delivers a complex cup with a juicy body and a sparkling yet balanced acidity. When milk is added, an unexpected dry cocoa note emerges, making it a very suitable coffee for your morning flat white. As a filter, the zesty notes are a little more prominent, resulting in a comforting and sophisticated brew.
Ideal brew methods:
COUNTRY
Rwanda
ZONE
Coko Sector, Gagenke District
ALTITUDE
1800 – 2000 masl
PRODUCER
Twongere Kara
REGION
Northern Province
CULTIVAR
Bourbon
HARVEST
March – October
PROCESS
Natural
In 2009, eleven female coffee farmers including Thérèse Nyrangwabije, now president of the coop decided to transform what was being grown as ‘traditional’ coffee into something else.
Farmers in the Northern Province, in difference to the better known Lake Kivu area, were lesser known, and so used to selling their garden grown coffee by the side of the road to passing buyers.
By carefully saving their money, investing in their own land and, with help from National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), infrastructure, they formed what has gone on to become a very successful operation. They have 200 raised beds for drying, and employ 80 staff at the washing station in the season. They also have a youth committee – they’re in charge of preparing the organic compost.
With 384 members now part of the cooperative, Thérèse is proud that 75% of members are women.
This is a considerable increase from a couple of years ago. That development means they providing training and support on a number of topics, from small projects that bring in an income, to strategies for reducing soil erosion through planting trees and how to adapt for climate change.
Harvesting occurs twice per month amongst the low density planting common to the area. Seedlings are also given away free to encourage and maintain plant vigour and quality of crop.