A community’s vision

In 1999, in Mwika, a small village on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, 150 farmers harvested and processed their own coffee at home and then brought the parchment to the group headquarters. Since their coffee was processed independently, they put extra care into unifying their processes as best as possible. This effort paid off, and in 2001, the group received the Certificate of Best Coffee from the Tanzania Coffee Association.

Aiming to find a way to unify and better control their quality, in 2001, they built the group’s first-ever CPU, which allowed them to upgrade their quality significantly. Today, the group continues to build dreams for the future, such as upgrading their CPU to renovate their office and equipment and opening a fund for members to help them afford agricultural inputs.

We are very proud to be on board with this group that, despite facing a diminishing in its members, manifests a continuous commitment and strong will to increase its quality and take its names’ group to the international market.

CULTIVARS:

Bourbon, Jackson Bourbon.

ALTITUDE:

1,725 meters above sea level

NOTABLE:

Several smallholder farmers came together to better control the quality of their product and commercialize it to the international market. Over time, they’ve proved to be very good businessman and committed coffee growers.

PROCESSING:

Cherries are brought to a central pulper where they are floated using raised channels, soaked over night and set out to dry on raised beds. The group runs a central washing station which uses a Penagos pulping machine.