Conte Rwanda Jasmine Air 250 gr

Perched at nearly 2,000 meters above sea level in Rwanda’s Ngororero District, east of Lake Kivu and neighboring Rutsiro—Kageyo Coffee Washing Station operates at one of the highest elevations in the country. The station began as a cooperative focused on semi-washed coffee production. In 2009, the cooperative secured financing to construct its first wet mill, launching operations in 2010. That very year, Kageyo gained national attention with a second-place finish in Rwanda’s Cup of Excellence, followed by a first-place victory in 2011. Despite this promising start, the cooperative soon faced financial strain due to limited harvest volumes and insufficient milling capacity. In 2013, a strategic partnership with a private exporter provided access to international markets and eased debt burdens, all while maintaining the cooperative’s identity.

By 2015, the washing station was fully acquired, allowing for substantial infrastructure improvements and increased production capacity without compromising quality standards. Today, Kageyo is celebrated for its Bourbon-variety coffee cultivated by smallholder farmers at remarkable altitudes. Its commitment to traceability and transparency continues to strengthen direct links between producers and the global specialty coffee market. Coffee is thought to have been introduced to Rwanda in 1904 by German missionaries. By the 1930s, coffee cultivation had become central to rural livelihoods, as it was virtually the only cash crop available to farming families. Until relatively recently, however, Rwandan coffee had little visibility in the United States. Due to Rwanda’s historical ties with Belgium, its former colonial ruler, Belgian buyers dominated the trade in the country’s lower-grade commercial coffee, alongside a single trading company based in London.