RWANDA - Antoine Kagenza

A vibrant cup with layered sweetness and a delicate tea like finish

THE BEAN

CUPPING NOTES Dried Fruits, Red Currant, Black Tea

PROCESS Washed

VARIETY Bourbon

PRODUCER Antoine Kagenza, Abakundakawa Rushashi

REGION Gakenke District, Northern Province

ALTITUDE 1700-2000m

SCA POINTS 84,25

CROP 2025

THE FARMER BEHIND

Abakundakawa Rushashi led by Antoine Kagenze is a farmer owned cooperative in northern Rwanda that was founded in 1999 by a small group of growers who joined forces to access international coffee markets and improve their lives. What began with around 100 farmers has grown into a cooperative representing more than two thousand smallholder producers across several villages in the Gakenke district. 

The cooperative operates two washing stations and has built a reputation for quality through careful processing, selective hand picking and long fermentation practices that highlight the character of the region’s coffees. Their lots regularly appear in international specialty markets and have even placed in Rwanda’s Cup of Excellence competition. 

Beyond coffee production, Abakundakawa is deeply rooted in community development. A large share of its members are women, many organised in dedicated associations such as Hinga Kawa, which was created to support female farmers and strengthen reconciliation and economic independence in the years following Rwanda’s difficult history.

The cooperative also invests in the next generation of producers. Through the Ishema Youth Coffee initiative, hundreds of young farmers have joined the value chain, helping secure the future of coffee farming in the region while creating new opportunities in rural communities.

Abakundakawa continues to focus on quality, transparency and farmer empowerment, demonstrating how strong cooperative structures can transform coffee into a sustainable source of income and pride for local communities.