RWANDA ​GASHARU ANAEROBIC NATURAL

General Information

Origin:   Rwanda
Region: Western Province
District: Nyamasheke
Washing Station: Gasharu Washing Station
Farmers: 1650 active members (660 female, 990 male)
Cultivar:  100% Red Bourbon
Altitude: 1600-2100 masl
Process:  Anaerobic Natural (100 hrs)
Harvest:  June 2024
Cherry Price | FOB Price: 5.43 USD/kg | 9.2 USD/Kg
Screen | Moisture | Density: 15+ | 10.7% | 0.69 g/ml
Packaging: 30 Kg + GrainPro
Score: 86.6
Notes: Lactic, melon, pear, green apple

TRACEABILITY

​Gasharu's anaerobic coffee fermentation is an innovative technique that enhances the flavour profiles of specialty coffee. In this method, coffee cherries ferment in sealed plastic tanks for over 100 hours in oxygen-free environments, allowing natural microorganisms to break down sugars in unique ways. The extended fermentation period results in more complex and distinctive flavours, often imparting fruity, wine-like, or lactic notes that are highly sought after by specialty coffee lovers. 

While most traditional fermentation methods take between 24 to 72 hours, the 100-hour anaerobic fermentation process experimented by Gasharu develops new and exciting taste profiles that showcase the country's rich terroir. This approach not only improves the quality of the coffee but also adds value to Rwanda’s burgeoning specialty coffee industry, which is known for its high-altitude growing conditions and ideal climate for producing unique, high-quality beans.

Gasharu Coffee Washing Station (CWS) is recognized for its high-quality processing and plays a crucial role in the local coffee industry. It operates as a cooperative, enabling contributing farmers to unite as a unified community. This collaborative approach fosters a shared sense of purpose and provides the farmers with access to essential resources and infrastructure that enhance their coffee production.

HISTORY

When we talk about Rwanda, it is impossible not to mention the horrible genocide that occurred in 1994, which left almost 1 million dead. Despite that sinister past, today it is admirable to see how this small nation has risen from the darkest depths, to become one of the most prosperous and secure countries in all of Africa.

Currently, the coffee industry in Rwanda is at its peak and producing exceptional coffees. The road has clearly not been easy, but through the leadership of a commited government, educational projects and strategic planning, they have laid the solid foundation for this success.

Coffee is one of the major export commodities for Rwanda, accounting for more than 40% of the total value of agricultural exports of the country, with approximately 420,000 people are directly or indirectly related to the coffee industry. Prices of quality coffee are more stable than the prices of commercial coffee, which has improved the quality of life of many coffee farmers and their families. In addition, coffee also contributes to the reconciliation of the main ethnic groups: Hutus and Tutsis; as we have seen them working together, shoulder to shoulder, to produce more and better coffee.​

VARIETY

Today in the world of specialty coffee, Bourbon and Typica are the most important Arabica coffee varieties. Recent genetic studies have confirmed that Bourbon and Typica were the seeds brought from Ethiopia to Yemen, and from the latter they spread throughout the world, forming the basis of modern Arabica coffee cultivation.
 
It was the French who attempted to introduce coffee three times from Yemen to Bourbon Island (now La Réunion), in 1708, 1715 and 1718. Genetic studies have confirmed that only a small number of plants from the second introduction and some from the third introduction they were successful. Until the middle of the 19th century, Bourbon coffee did not leave the island.
 
French missionaries played an important role in spreading the Bourbons in Africa. In 1841, the first mission was established in La Réunion. From there, a mission was established in Zanzibar in 1859. From Zanzibar, a mission was established in 1862 at Bagamoyo (coast of Tanzania, then called Tanganyika), another at St. Augustine (Kikuyu, Kenya), and another in 1893 at Bura (Taita Hills, Kenya). Coffee seeds brought from La Reunion were planted in each of the missions.
 
In 1904, German missionaries brought coffee to Rwanda. The first coffee trees were planted in Mibirizi mission, Cyangugu province. It is this mission that gives the name to the first variety of Rwandan coffee, a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety. Gradually, coffee cultivation spread to Lake Kivu and later to the rest of Rwanda. In 1930, growing coffee became compulsory for many farmers in the country, replicating the colonial model that the Belgians had imposed on Burundi.

HAND SORTING THE POTATO DEFECT

GASHARU cws LOCATION
CONTACT
[email protected]
+34 675 608 692
WHERE WE ARE
Barcelona, Spain
Santiago, Chile
​Budapest, Hungary