About the Producer
Gisanga coffee is grown in the Mbuye Sector of the Ruhango District in Rwanda's Southern Province, at an altitude of 1,650–1,850 meters. This region, located on the fertile slopes of the Congo-Nile Divide, has ideal conditions for coffee cultivation with annual rainfall of 1,100–1,300 mmand an average temperature of 18–20 °C. The volcanic, mineral-rich Inceptisolsoils contribute to the coffee's vibrant acidity and clean cup character.
The Gisanga Washing Station is operated by 850 farmers affiliated with the Koakambu Cooperativeand supported by Tropic Coffee Ltd.Established in 2015, Tropic Coffee is a family-owned business operating in three different regions. The company contributes to community development by establishing coffee nurseries for local producers, providing UTZ certification, and supporting female producers through handicraft projects.
This coffee is processed using the fully washedmethod. The process utilizes clean spring water from the local Theresa Natural Spring. During the harvest season, from March to June, ripe cherries are hand-picked and delivered to the washing station on the same day. The delivered cherries are sieved and soaked in water for quality separation, then de-pulped using a mechanical pulper and sorted by quality grade.
The coffee is fermented in open tanks for 10–16 hours, then re-sorted in flotation channels. The station has a wastewater treatment system, reflecting its environmentally conscious production approach. After fermentation, the beans undergo pre-sorting in the shade, followed by sun-drying on raised beds for approximately 3 weeks.
Finally, the coffee beans are rested for 1–2 months, cleaned through the hullingprocess before export, and prepared for packaging.
