For over three decades, Rwandan women have been at the forefront of coffee cultivation, shaping an industry built on resilience and collaboration.
The result? Incredible coffee that is world-renowned.
This year, we’re proud to introduce our Rwandan Women’s Coffee Series, celebrating extraordinary producers who have pioneered the rebuild of Rwanda’s coffee industry.
Rwandan women in coffee
Rwanda’s specialty coffee is world-renowned, but there’s a unique story of determination behind every single cup.
Following the country’s devastating past, women-led collectives have played a key role in the regeneration of coffee farming, creating economic opportunities and elevating quality through investment in training, infrastructure, and shared knowledge. Their dedication has helped rebuild Rwanda’s coffee industry, bringing some truly exceptional micro-lots to the world stage.
Celebrating Rwandan coffee
As part of this campaign, every Allpress team around the world will roast and showcase a distinctive Rwandan coffee. Each micro-lot represents not only the unique flavours of Rwanda’s diverse coffee-growing regions but also the incredible skill of the women who produce them.
Allpress AU/NZ/SG
A delightfully sweet red bourbon from Maraba and the Sovu washing station. One of Rwanda’s original coffee co-ops, this remarkable micro-lot delivers sweet, clean, and juicy flavours in every cup. Sovu has consistently earned accolades, including several Cup of Excellence awards, for its outstanding coffee of exceptional quality.
Allpress UK
A beautiful coffee we’ve purchased for four years in a row, the KCRS Women’s Cooperative. Grown at exceptionally high altitudes, coffee cherries mature incredibly slowly, resulting in extended flavour development. Fully washed, the cup presents velvety sweet notes with complex acidity.
Allpress JP
An emerging co-op, TUK is situated in the rolling hills of eastern Rwanda where temperatures, rainfall, and rich volcanic soils provide the perfect conditions for slow-developing bourbon cherries. Through improved training and infrastructure development focused on agronomy and quality control, TUK has been producing truly exceptional coffees in recent years.
The story behind the design
To bring this campaign to life, we collaborated with Denyse Uwera, a Kigali-based creator and storyteller. Denyse travelled to the Sovu washing station in Rwanda’s Southern Province, meeting with producers who have been instrumental in the industry’s recovery and growth.
She also designed the unique campaign artwork, inspired by the traditional Rwandan art of Imigongo. The distinctive triangular motifs and horizontal line work symbolise the mountains and earth where this coffee is grown, paying homage to the deep-rooted history of Rwandan coffee culture.
Empowered women, exceptional coffee
This campaign is an opportunity to recognise and support the women shaping Rwandan specialty coffee. By enjoying these remarkable brews, you’re helping to amplify their achievements and contributing to vital community projects in regions throughout Rwanda.
We also had the privilege of interviewing some of our incredible women producers.
You can read about them over here.
