The Dukunde Kawa Musasa cooperative is a shining example of  excellent Rwandan specialty coffee and support of women in the coffee industry.

A proud partnership between Dukunde Kawa Musasa cooperative, Sustainable Harvest, and Coffeebar.

This is our second year bringing in coffee through the importer Sustainable Harvest and their partner organization Sustainable Growers (formerly Relationship Coffee Institute), a project begun by Bloomberg Philanthropies and Sustainable Harvest with a focus on empowering female coffee producers. 

The Dukunde Kawa Musasa cooperative has 2,142 members, with more than 80% of them being women. Formed in 2003, the cooperative is run by a democratically elected president and administration. Their high level of organization has allowed them to improve practices on the farms and in the processing stations, as well as gain Fair Trade and Organic certifications. In addition, the cooperative also institutes environmental and social programs, and was honored by the Specialty Coffee Association in 2012 for their work with shade-grown coffee. 

This particular coffee is shade-grown at high elevation in northern Rwanda, and provides an excellent example of Rwandan specialty coffee. Flavor notes trend towards dried fruits like apricot and mango, with an almost syrupy sweetness, molasses, and brown sugar. Freshly ground, the fragrance will show those dried fruit notes, but also a lighter, more floral characteristic. 

Design Notes

This coffee bag design is inspired by traditional Rwandan basket weaving, painting, and textiles. 

Photos By: Sustainable Harvest
Design By: Coffeebar

Author: David Wilson