Farmers sorting out coffee beans at a washing station. The best coffee will be awarded the Cup of Excellence next week
Organizers of Cup of Excellence (CoE), an award given to the company and farmers who produced the best quality coffee and farmers have nominated 147 competitors for the second stage, in the quest of 10 best candidates for an online auction next week.
The National Agriculture Export Board (NAEB), co-organizer of Cup of Excellency received 374 applicants who have to go through several selection phases.
Already, more than 200 of them were eliminated in the last two phases.
The 147 competitors who qualified at National level will have their lots evaluated by an international jury which include cuppers.
The final phase on August 10 will consist of selection of top ten best coffee of Rwanda in 2018.
According to NAEB, previous winners of CoE have made it in this pre selection stage.
They include MIG Buremera coffee company in Nyamagabe district who won the inaugural CoE in 2008 with their coffee being sold at $39.68 per kilo during an online auction that followed their win.
This gave MIG (Multi Investment Group-formerly Multi Investissement de Gikongoro), a company of Nyamagabe natives and friends to fetch a total $455,085 that was shared with coffee farmers who supply the company as per the CoE criteria.
Coopac Mushonyi from Rutsiro district and winner of 2010 are also part of the competitors and so are their neighbors of Api Mushonyi who won in 2011.
Also Gitesi coffee washing station, the champion of 2012 is competing for another award.
The CoE remained in the Western Province for three consecutive years. In 2013, Caferwa Gishugi from Nyamasheke district emerged the winner. They are also back to compete with pears.
Muhondo coffee company from Gakenke district in the Northern Province, winner of the biggest price ever in auction with $82.57 per kilogram in 2014 is also among the competing companies.
They were followed in 2015 by their neighboring Muyongwe coffee company which is also among the favorite companies for this year’s award.
Damascene Nsengimana Managing Director of Muyongwe coffee washing station told KT Press; “We are hoping to win this award; we prepared our farmers from the planting to harvesting. The washing component is also ready for the challenge.”
Nsengimana said that they have taken two lots to the competition.
To stand a chance of winning cup of Excellency one ought to have exceptional coffee that has good taste, aroma, flavor and humidity and other details that attract cuppers.
Coffee farmers and Coffee Washing Stations have to avoid external interferences including; dust, diseased coffee and reaping green coffee beans.
Top 10 best coffee will be selected on 10th August this year, American Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), the international organization which partners with coffee farming countries to organize cup of excellence every year.
