Rwanda Gitwe

    Rwanda Gitwe

Taste profile: baked pineapple, papaya, sakura

Region:  Gitwe, Karambi

Processing station: Gitwe

Variety: 100% arabica red bourbon

Process: honey

Altitude: 1 760 masl

Harvest: March–May 2023

The coffee belongs to our special Discovery edition, in which we include exceptional coffees. The coffee cherries were processed using the honey method, which is not common in this country. The Honey processing method takes place in such a way that only the upper skin is removed from the surface of the coffee cherries, under which the pulp is hidden, with which the beans are further dried. As a result, you can find sweet notes of ripe fruit or caramel in the taste of the final drink.

The Gitwe processing station is among the most famous stations in Rwanda offering excellent, premium coffees. Gitwe is actually the smallest washing station of all the facilities in the Western Province, covering an area of less than 1 hectare. Gitwe is unique in that it is located at the top of a mountain valley at an altitude of almost 2000 meters, just 3 km from Gatare and close to the town of Kamina in the Karambi sector. The name of this station is derived from the name of the land on which the station is built.

The station was built in 2016, then bought by RTC in 2018. RTC employs 6 full-time staff, including manager Augustin, and another 50 staff during harvest, 90% of whom are women. Despite being a small station, up to 1,020 farmers contribute 500 tons of coffee cherries to its annual production. The coffee processed here is highly rated and, of course, belongs to the select coffees. The sizes of the farms supplying coffee cherries here range from just 150 coffee trees to 6,000 plants (=2.5 hectares). Although most farms are within 2-3 km of the station, many farmers have limited access to the facility and thus the area is served by RTC through 15 coffee cherry collection points. At the same time, the station offers the help of employees with the possibility of various trainings.