DR Congo | Lake Kivu Natural Coffee

Seasonal Selection

Available for a limited time. Once this coffee is gone, it's gone.

ORIGIN | Democratic Republic of the Congo
REGION | North Kivu, Kahondo Coffee Washing Station
GROWN BY |  Various Smallholder Farmers
PROCESS | Natural
ELEVATION | 1,500–1,900 masl
TASTING NOTES | Concord Grape • Blackberry • Chocolate

Kahondo Coffee Washing Station is located in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and partners with thousands of smallholder farmers to produce exceptional specialty coffee. Established in 2012, the station focuses on improving coffee quality through farmer education, sustainable farming practices, and careful processing, helping producers earn greater value for their harvests.

This organic, Rainforest Alliance Certified natural-process coffee is meticulously hand sorted before being slowly dried on raised African beds, allowing the fruit to impart remarkable sweetness and complexity. The result is a vibrant, juicy cup with notes of Concord grape, blackberry, raspberry, tangerine, and rich chocolate.

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History of Coffee in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Coffee has been grown in the Congo since the late nineteenth century, though wild Robusta has existed throughout the region for centuries. In the early 1900s, the country's ideal climate and volcanic soils led many to believe it could become one of the world's great coffee-producing nations. Today, renewed investment in quality-focused production and specialty coffee has helped Congolese coffees earn international recognition.

Growing Coffee in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

While the Congo has long been known for Robusta, the high elevations of North Kivu have become increasingly recognized for producing outstanding Arabica. Smallholder farmers cultivate coffee on fertile volcanic slopes, delivering ripe cherries to local washing stations where careful sorting and processing preserve quality and traceability. The combination of rich soils, abundant rainfall, and dedicated producers creates coffees with remarkable fruit character, sweetness, and complexity.