Mushonyi, Rwanda

About this coffee

Back for its third year, Mushonyi continues to impress. It’s a standout example of Rwanda’s refined processing, with washed Red Bourbon delivering exceptional clarity and a confident, expressive flavour profile. Rich, cooked‑fruit sweetness meets a lively, tart acidity—perfect for vibrant filter brews. Rwanda’s landlocked geography still presents challenges for exporters, but the quality speaks for itself. Coffees like Mushonyi reaffirm our commitment to supporting producers in this remarkable origin. Coffee arrived in Rwanda in the early 1900s, but it wasn’t until the mid‑20th century that production expanded under Belgian rule, when farmers were required to grow coffee for low‑quality export. After independence in 1962, many Rwandans chose to keep cultivating coffee, recognising its economic value. By the 1970s it had become the country’s most important export. The 1994 genocide devastated the industry, but Rwanda’s recovery has been remarkable. Strong government support and investment in quality-focused processing transformed the sector. Before 2001, most farmers produced semi‑washed coffee at home; today, more than 300 Central Washing Stations operate nationwide. This shift to fully washed processing has significantly lifted cup quality and increased export value by more than 40% since the early 2000s.