Between Cupping Tables and Coffee Cherries: Ethiopia and Rwanda 2026

At this time of year, the harvest in Ethiopia is largely complete. This means that Hannes and Martin’s focus on this trip is on meeting long-standing partners in Addis Ababa and tasting the fresh harvest in order to select the best lots for the coming season. The challenge of this trip lies in the short time the two have planned for it this time.

 

• The start of the week is nevertheless relatively relaxed. Together with Ansha and Moata from CoQua, they taste around twenty to thirty coffees on Monday to get a first impression of this year’s qualities.
• On Tuesday, things get a bit more intense. Martin and Hannes taste around eighty coffees in a single day, most of them in the late afternoon and early evening. It’s a sensory experience that pushes their limits and is physically demanding, even for experienced coffee professionals. But the intensity pays off. They find the lots they were looking for and leave the cupping tables eagerly anticipating the new harvest.

 

Thanks to long-standing local partnerships, a selection of coffees that the two wanted to taste had already been discussed in advance. Which coffees ultimately end up on the final cupping table is determined gradually over the preceding months. Among other things, information on the development of the harvest, the weather, prices and the political framework conditions of the origin region flows into this process.

 

We know that, starting this year, the Ethiopian government has set very high minimum prices for the purchase of cherries, which is new and has a significant impact on exports. We also learn that after a record harvest last year, less coffee is expected this year, but that the quality in Sidamo and Yirgacheffe is better. This is confirmed in cupping, where the naturals we select for our limited edition coffees are particularly lively and expressive. The coffees from the Limu region, in the west of the country, surprised both of them very positively. They were among the best Martin and Hannes tasted this week in terms of flavour. They were also more moderately priced – another important criterion, especially given the recent sharp rise in global green coffee prices.

After Ethiopia, the journey continues to Rwanda – a first for Coffee Circle. It is our first trip to this country of origin, so curiosity is high. On site, Martin and Hannes meet our partners from Muraho, who have already made coffees such as Rugali and Muraho possible and have been specifically supported by the Coffee Circle Vision Fund I. During their stay, it becomes clear time and again that this is a partnership between equals.

The first day takes them to western Rwanda, to the Nyabihu region, to the Shyira washing station, not far from the Vunga station. The harvest has only just begun, so only sun-dried coffees have been produced so far. It is particularly impressive to see the progress that has already been made through joint investments. Agricultural scientists have been hired and trained, demonstration farms have been set up for young farmers, and regular visits to the farms have been established. There, farmers learn specific ways to increase their yields and make their fields more resilient to climate change, for example through organic fertilisation or mulching the soil. This enables coffee cultivation to become a sustainable livelihood for farmers. The impact is also clearly visible at the washing station itself. A new water filtration system not only provides employees with clean drinking water, but is also available to the surrounding population.

On the second day, Martin and Hannes travel further south-west to Nyamasheke, where they visit the Kilimbi and Rugali stations. Both places leave a lasting impression. Everything appears clean, well organised and professionally managed. The discussions with the agricultural scientists, whose jobs were created with our investments, are particularly memorable. It becomes clear that the measures communicated are not only explained to the producers, but also consistently implemented in practice.

In an open discussion with the farmers, Martin and Hannes learn how much the mood has changed in recent years. Rising coffee prices have made cultivation an attractive business again. This motivates not only existing farmers, but also many young people to return to coffee production. At the same time, new coffee plants are being cultivated, in some cases replacing other crops (e.g. maize), in the hope of long-term stable incomes.

A special project is currently underway at the Rugali station. Muraho is building a large, environmentally friendly system there to treat the wastewater from the washing station. This pilot project is intended to significantly reduce environmental impact and will be expanded to all stations operated by Muraho in the coming years.