April 21, 2008

Coffee represents the largest commercial resource in Rwanda. Prior to 2000, Rwanda exported only commercial grade coffee, missing the much more lucrative and increasing world-wide market for specialty coffee. With technical assistance, training, and financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID: http://www.usaid.gov/), Rwanda produced about 30 tons of specialty coffee in 2002. By 2006, that number increased to 3,000 tons, with export revenue rising from zero dollars to about $8.5 million.

About 50,000 Rwandan families are currently involved in the quickly growing agricultural subspeciality of specialty coffee, and they are catching the eyes (and dollars) of mega coffee importers such as Costco, Target, and Starbucks. Among the emerging entrepreneurs leading this shift in the coffee culture is Arthur Karuletwa (pictured center, with Francis Gatare and GRDP President, Chris Hills), owner of Rwanda's Bourbon Coffee.

Arthur grew up in Rwanda and fled to Uganda during the genocide. He obtained a college basketball scholarship and studied in southern California. While working in the U.S. coffee industry, he met his wife Amy, a Starbucks employee. Together they returned to Rwanda, and they brought their knowledge and desire to bring a high-end coffee product and experience to Rwanda.

That he has done. With his bean-to-cup understanding of coffee production, Arthur and Amy have worked directly with the coffee farmers, brining highly innovative practices to significantly reduce the amount of time spent from picking to washing (one of the most critical steps to ensure quality taste), and the beans are now being washed in much more sophisticated washing stations. As a result, Arthur now proudly pays the farmers five times what he and other farmers would have paid a year ago.

Intentionally, they have Hutu and Tutsi farmers working together.

Arthur has also opened two very contemporary coffee shops in Rwanda, the likes of which rivals any coffee house experience in the States. The newest shop, which we visited on Monday afternoon, is divided into the five districts of Rwanda. Each boasts local arts, crafts, and other amenities to raise awareness of that area to their patrons. Informational materials help consumers to "get to know their farmer," increasing familiarity with who is providing for them as well as for whom they are providing. Coffee beans are roasted on premises, and a full restaurant and bakery round out the Bourbon experience.

Arthur has dreams of franchising and increasing the exportation of his coffee worldwide, and I think he can do it. You'll be hearing more about Arthur, as he will be my mentee.

In the meantime, I know that there are a lot of coffee drinkers out there, and I'd love for people to begin exploring and posting where you can buy Rwandan coffee in Chicago. I'm no coinsurer, but I can say that I found the coffee pretty tasty. For those with more sensitive palates, give us some reviews of what you discover!