Soft milk chocolate and sparkling sherbet up front with a sweet honey aftertaste. For the month of March, this is our exclusive subscription coffee. From 42 smallholder farmers in Rwanda’s Huye District, this 100% Red Bourbon coffee is a testament to collaboration. Grown at high elevations and processed with precision at Cyarumbo washing station, it offers a rich sweetness and juicy acidity. We paid 91% above the Fair Trade price for this coffee - learn why here. Cyarumbo washing station, located at 1680 MASL in Rwanda’s Southern Province, services 568 members of the Maraba Cooperative. Farmers in the area benefit from ideal growing conditions, with steady temperatures, ample rainfall, and farms reaching up to 2200 MASL. Under the careful management of Aphrodice Twagirayesu, this station focuses on quality, ensuring only the ripest cherries are selected for processing. The processing method is meticulous, with cherries sorted by weight, fermented overnight, and hand-sorted twice during drying. Much of the careful hand-sorting is performed by women, ensuring consistency and a high-quality end product. The beans then rest before being dry-milled at the cooperative’s facility, allowing Maraba to oversee every stage of production. Maraba’s commitment to quality and transparency has transformed the local coffee industry since its establishment in 2001. Cyarumbo, as the first specialty-focused washing station, continues to set a benchmark in Rwanda, with over 300 stations following its lead.
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