Explorer Set

Sweet Caramel Notes and a Hint of Fruit

Imagine: the gentle scent of caramelized almonds fills your nose and warms your heart – that's exactly what you'll find in every cup of our Lake Kivu. With its nutty aromas, sweet caramel notes, and hints of fruity red berries, this Congolese washed Arabica combines lively freshness with subtle spice.

Strong Women. Strong Coffee.

The coffee comes from our special connection to the Rebuild Women's Hope (RWH) coffee cooperative, which was founded in 2013 by human rights activist Marceline Budza and has been run by her ever since. Inspired by the resilience of her own mother, who raised her four daughters alone, she made it her mission to find practical ways to bring about lasting change in the lives of Congolese women in rural areas. One of these areas is the island of Idjwi, located in the middle of Lake Kivu – the namesake of our exceptional Arabica coffee.

RWH operates four washing stations where the coffee cherries are processed. The cherries are pre-sorted by hand, pulped, and cleaned of the remaining pulp in a water tank. Finally, they are dried on raised drying beds for about 14 days. This type of washed process brings out the fruity, complex character of Lake Kivu particularly well.

Coffee Cultivation with a Vision for the Whole Community

Since the beginning of 2024, we have been investing in six new coffee projects worldwide with the Coffee Circle Foundation e.V. – one of which is Rebuild Women's Hope (RWH). This female-led organization is committed to strengthening women's rights in the Congo, enabling female coffee farmers to achieve economic independence and giving them decision-making power. A good standard of living for the entire community – that is their vision.

For generations, farmers on Idjwi have been largely dependent on the coffee they grow. Through Rebuild Women's Hope, they now have the opportunity to grow and process their coffee to a high standard and are no longer dependent on smugglers to transport the green coffee across Lake Kivu to neighboring Rwanda. In addition, the cooperative is currently investing in the construction of a women's shelter and a hospital.

Tips for Preparation

We particularly recommend preparing this coffee using a pour-over method, for example with a hand filter. The AeroPress or a classic coffee machine also bring out the flavors of this coffee perfectly. The medium roast ensures a particularly harmonious balance – whether pure or combined with milk (or milk alternatives), Lake Kivu will win you over no matter how you drink it.

Our Version of a Spritz in a Cup

If spritz were a coffee, it would be Rungeto: notes of invigorating currant and refreshing rhubarb make every day feel like a summer holiday.

Washed Processing with Kenyan Glacier Water

The Rungeto Cooperative is an association of over 850 coffee farmers who deliver their coffee cherries to one of three washing stations, including the Kii Factory, located at the foot of Mt. Kenya. Since 1995, it has been processing specialty coffee with a clear focus on quality. The fresh glacier water of the Kii River, fed by the snow-capped peaks of Mt. Kenya, is used to process the cherries. In recent years, the cooperative has invested specifically in improving its processing methods with the aim of further enhancing the exceptional quality of its coffees.

Precision and Exceptional Quality

The SL28, SL34 and Ruiru 11 varieties grow at an altitude of around 1,750 metres. They are cultivated on volcanic soil with a high phosphorus content, which gives them their typical Kenyan liveliness. At the Kii Factory Washing Station, after washing, the beans undergo a two-stage fermentation process lasting 72 hours, during which every gram of pulp is precisely removed. The result: a crystal-clear Kenyan washed coffee with lively acidity and aromatic depth.

Tips for Preparation

The complex character is best brought out in hand filter brewers such as the Hario V60 or the AeroPress. Enjoy the prepared coffee pure or as a cold brew – this brings out its fruitiness particularly well.

Like a Cool Fruit Snack on a Summer's Day

Nansebo is as invigorating as a cool fruit snack on a summer's day: fruity notes of ripe berries and orange meet a pleasant floral sweetness. This Ethiopian natural coffee captivates with its intense aromas and particularly clear flavour.

A Cooperative That Constantly Sets New Standards for Quality and Innovation

The Nansebo Washing Station is located in the West Arsi Zone in southern Ethiopia, a region that has been known for decades for producing the finest Ethiopian coffee. The station is run by a dedicated team led by our long-standing partner Heleanna Georgalis and her company Moplaco, which has been setting standards for quality and innovation in the Ethiopian coffee world for years.

In the most recent harvest, Nansebo impressed with particularly outstanding lots – clearly structured, intensely fruity and with fascinating depth. This coffee is a prime example of what is possible when craftsmanship, good growing conditions and careful selection come together.

Natural Processing with Craftsmanship and Precision

At an altitude of 2,200 metres, the cherries in Nansebo ripen particularly slowly – this means that the cherries are very sweet and offer optimal conditions for exceptional coffees. After picking, the ripe coffee cherries are separated from the unripe cherries by floating them in a water bath and then dried in the sun on raised drying beds for about three weeks. During this time, they are regularly turned by hand to ensure even drying, and defective cherries are sorted out. The result is a natural coffee with complex fruit sweetness, floral notes and a smooth mouthfeel.

Tips for preparation

Nansebo tastes best when prepared using a hand filter, Chemex or a classic filter coffee machine such as the Moccamaster.

Like a Cool Breeze on a Hot Day

Muraho brings the floral sweetness of pomegranate and golden kiwi to your cup – for that summer feeling, whenever you fancy it.

A Female-led Cooperative, an Export Company with Vision

Since the beginning of 2024, we have been supporting six new coffee projects worldwide with the Coffee Circle Foundation e.V., including our first in Rwanda. Muraho Trading is a young and innovative export company run by two Rwandan brothers, Karthick and Gaudam Anbalagan, who are passionate about producing specialty coffee. For them, it's about more than just excellent coffee: they want to focus on the people, the origin, and the exceptional quality of the beans and make Rwanda's uniqueness accessible to everyone worldwide. Since 2017, they have been working with the female-led Vunga Cooperative, in which they also invest outside of trade relations: in the first year of their collaboration, quality and infrastructure were further improved, and bonus payments and health insurance for the farmers were guaranteed.

Careful Cultivation on Volcanic Soil Surrounded by Banana Trees

The Vunga community is located in the Nyabihu district in the northwestern region of Rwanda, not far from the borders with Uganda to the north and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. The small Vunga washing station is located amid the steep hills of Nyabihu and is surrounded by countless plantains and banana trees. At an altitude of up to 2,000 meters, the coffee cherries grow here under ideal conditions: a cool climate, volcanic soil, and careful cultivation by local farmers give them their characteristic fruitiness. Vunga obtains the water it uses from a natural spring in the nearby national park. The washing station was awarded prizes at the Rwanda Cup of Excellence in both 2012 and 2014.

The Vunga washing station is nestled in one of Rwanda's most spectacular mountain regions. Here, around 180 farmers process their harvest with great dedication. The station is known for its excellent washed processing: only the best, ripe cherries are processed – first selected in a water bath and then fermented in fermentation tanks for 8-12 hours. The beans are then carefully washed and dried in the sun on African drying beds for 7-10 days. The result: a Rwandan washed Arabica that arrives clearly in your cup, with a fine texture and exceptional complexity.

Tips for Preparation

It tastes particularly good as a pour-over, for example with the Hario V60. The Aeropress or a classic coffee maker also bring out the lively aromas of this coffee. Do you prefer to drink your coffee black or as a cold brew? Muraho tastes particularly refreshing black and with ice cubes.