Education | Kilimanjaro Specialty Coffees

1% for the Elephants: “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”

12/30/2025

This phrase, taken from Matthew 6:3, reminds us of the value of giving without seeking recognition. It calls for quiet generosity, rooted in conviction rather than applause, where the reward lies not in visibility, but in the common good.

At Kilimanjaro Specialty Coffees, we rarely speak about our commitment to social responsibility. Not because it is unimportant, but because we believe the quality of our green coffee should always come first. However, once a year, we feel it is appropriate to share how your coffee choices contribute to something beyond coffee itself.

Why do they have a Kalashnikov in a washing station in Ethiopia?

12/14/2025

It is a question that we have been asked many times. And the truth is that in many rural regions of Ethiopia, the presence of weapons like the Kalashnikov is understood from the economic fragility of the country and the enormous dependence that exists on coffee as the main community support and source of income for thousands of families who live solely from its harvest and processing. Therefore, when producers face the risk that trucks or organised groups try to take their coffee without paying, they are forced to protect their work with the means available.

The Ethiopian economy has seen progress in recent decades, but it remains highly exposed to volatile international prices for agricultural products and limited infrastructure, which makes access to stable markets difficult. The dependence on coffee makes each harvest vital, and any loss represents a direct blow to the survival of the community, which explains why armed protection becomes part of daily life in areas like Guji, where wealth is not measured in money but in bags of coffee ready to be exported.

The Impact of the EU Deforestation Regulation on the Global Coffee Trade

6/6/2025

The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is reshaping the global coffee trade. Enacted to reduce the EU's contribution to global deforestation, this regulation requires that raw materials entering or leaving the EU market be deforestation-free, meaning they cannot come from lands that were deforested after December 31, 2020. However, the regulation's stringent requirements, including detailed traceability and geolocation, are posing significant technological challenges for developing countries, where smallholder farmers dominate production.

Many smallholder farmers lack the necessary technological infrastructure and resources to comply with the EU's traceability requirements. In some coffee-producing areas in Ethiopia and Burundi, for example, there is little to no internet access, putting them at risk of exclusion from one of the world's largest markets. Additionally, importers are stockpiling coffee to avoid disruptions, which could drive up prices and overwhelm global supply chains as the regulation approaches full implementation in December 2025.

What is the minimum export price for Ethiopian coffee?

12/12/2024

Ethiopia consumes about half of the coffee it produces on the domestic market, usually lower-quality lots, as high-quality coffee is usually reserved for international sales. The government prohibits the sale of export-quality coffee on the local market, even when local prices are more favourable. However, there is a domestic demand for high-quality coffee, which can be illegally supplied with higher-quality coffee when local prices exceed those offered by exports.

In February 2020, the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority established a minimum export price for coffee, as well as a semi-official minimum price for coffee at local sales centres. The minimum export price is calculated daily, based on the global weighted average of the price given to different grades of coffee from different regions. At the time, the measure increased the price of green coffee by a range of approximately 0.5 to 1 USD/lb for grade 1 (best quality) coffee. And exporters selling coffee below the minimum price were made subject to legal action by the Ministry of Trade.

NATURAL ANAEROBIC FERMENTATIONs in rwanda

10/23/2024

In recent years, the popularity of specialty coffees has changed the landscape of international trade. The focus has shifted from regular "Starbucks-type" commercial coffee to unique, traceable, and experimental products. This trend has attracted a global and diverse audience and has enhanced financial benefits for producers.

Until about a decade ago, coffee processing primarily utilized natural, honey, and washed methods, each of which offered a wide range of sensory qualities in the coffee. During these processes, fermentation occurs naturally through local microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, which interact with the coffee mucilage. The metabolites produced by these microorganisms can penetrate the coffee seeds, resulting in two types of effects: beneficial ones, such as desirable organic acids, esters, alcohols, and sugars; and harmful ones, which include undesirable organic acids and toxins that can negatively impact the quality of the coffee beans.

MEET THE PRODUCER: RWANDA GASHARU

9/20/2024

Gasharu Coffee is a specialty coffee producer located in Southern Rwanda. It has gained a reputation in the specialty coffee world for its high-quality beans and commitment to sustainability and community development.

History and Background
Gasharu Coffee is a family-owned business that has been growing coffee for generations. The Gasharu region, located in the Western Province of Rwanda near Lake Kivu, is ideal for coffee cultivation due to its rich volcanic soil, high altitudes, and favourable climate. The family behind Gasharu Coffee has taken advantage of these natural advantages to produce some of Rwanda's finest specialty coffees.

Burundi & Ruanda, regional report.

9/5/2024

Our Kenyan coffees have arrived in Barcelona in perfect conditions and we have already delivered most of the pre-booked orders to our European roasters. The exceptional quality of the different lots makes us very satisfied and now is the time to focus on the next origin.

The recent coffee harvest in Burundi and Rwanda concluded at the end of July, directing in the yearly challenge of selecting our next partner and origin. While the cup quality is paramount, we recognize that other critical factors influence this decision. To minimize any external biases, we rely on a meticulous process of blind analysis and cupping.

A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE: Why did it take Kenya so long to get to Barcelona?

7/19/2024

The situation in the Red Sea has become more complex in recent months. To protect their crews, ships and cargo, shipping companies are changing their routes to avoid the Red Sea and go around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of the African continent. However, the risk zone in the Red Sea has expanded and attacks are occurring in areas further from the coast. As a result, ships have to take longer routes, which increases the time and cost of bringing the coffee to Barcelona.

Due to the above, the transit time of our shipment from Kenya was extended to 60 days, which is double the usual transit time. Furthermore, upon reaching the Mediterranean, ships are being diverted to ports in Morocco and Spain, which causes serious overcrowding and congestion in container unloading. All major shipping companies are using these ports for transhipments, putting immense pressure on port capacities in the Mediterranean region and pushing them to the limit.

Burundi: Corruption at the top, hits hard at the low.

6/5/2024

Before privatizing the coffee industry in Burundi in 2008, all coffee production was under the control of the state-owned company Sogestal, which is now virtually bankrupt. As a result of this privatization, the situation of small coffee producers has deteriorated. The government, under pressure from the World Bank, transferred most of the washing stations it used to control to foreign or multinational companies, leaving small coffee producers with very little to support themselves.

Coffee is very important to Burundi, accounting for 80% of the country's export earnings and supporting the livelihoods of 55% of the population, approximately 750,000 families, the majority of whom are smallholder farmers. In 2007, the president of Burundi at the time declared that coffee belonged to the producers until it was exported. This agreement allowed them to oversee the supply chain and gave them the right to receive 72% of the revenue from international coffee sales. But in reality, little or none of that has happened.

Kenya's coffee farmers' revolution

3/15/2024

We are in the presence of a revolution, a revolution of farmers! In case you hadn't noticed, revolutions are no longer about warfare. Today revolutions are spiritual, technological or ideological. Furthermore, the leaders no longer die for their cause, but instead, seek refuge in a neighbouring country until the danger passes or they simply change their beliefs. This is precisely what has happened in Kenya, a revolution. The coffee farmer's revolution!

Although, according to our records collected over the years, we had established that Kenya was the African country where the best price per kg of cherry was paid (about 1 USD per kg). But the coffee farmers were not happy with that, and who is? We all want more, it's part of our human nature. The problem here was not greed, but rather that many of them did not generate enough income to cover their production costs. This resulted in many of them giving up coffee, in favour of more profitable crops such as avocado or macadamia.