Founded in 2015, Rwamatamu Coffee is a family-owned and operated business that aims to combat poverty by generating employment opportunities within the local community.

The estate spans 20 hectares of coffee farmland, where it grows its own crops and sources cherries from affiliated co-operatives, local producers, and smallholder farmers. After being meticulously processed, sun-dried, sorted, and packaged, these cherries are exported as a premium product.

Rwamatamu’s coffee farm and washing station are located in the Western province of Rwanda, where the landscape consists of picturesque rolling hills flanked around Lake Kivu in Nyamasheke District.

This region provides a tropical highland climate with an average temperature of 14 to 24 c and regular rainfall. This makes arabica coffee to flourish and result in a dense, hard bean with superior coffee flavour.

The farm is positioned on 1600 up to 2000 meters altitude, on a rich volcanoes soil. The harvest season is January to March.

Coffee from Rwamatamu is sun dried and handpicked to a high standard. Currently they are in the process of gaining their organic and fair-trade certifications. They work to have a positive social and economic impact on farmer communities, focusing on women in particular.

Husband and wife duo, Rutaganda Gaston and Mukantwaza Laetitia, established Rwamatamu Coffee to support their family. Throughout their children's upbringing, they were actively involved in the estate's operations. Daughter Marie Bernice was especially engaged in tasks like facilitating negotiations, creating educational materials, and managing marketing documents.

Rwamatamu work together with cooperatives of coffee farmers who live in the area. 80% of their employees are women. Their goal is to build healthy relationships with the community based on common values and goals. This is done by committing to a regular purchase of beans and investing in the growth of employees. They also commit to a set standard of quality each year.

As of 2023, Bernice and her husband Luke have continued building on the already strong foundations of Rwamatamu, taking over the operations of the estate as her parents retired. This is the fourth harvest in a row that we have worked with Bernice & Luke, and it's a joy to have these coffees on our offer list once again!