Congo - Muungano Organic Women's Lot

"Muungano" translates as "togetherness" in Swahili and it is this spirit of unity that is central to the mission of Muungano Cooperative and its coffee producing members.  Indeed it is through cooperation and perseverance that coffee producers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been able to navigate the political instability, civil war, and widespread poverty that has plagued the country for the past several decades.

Remarkably, Muungano's coffee producers have not only survived these tumultuous times, they have thrived, with investments in education and equipment that have led to the production of world class coffees in recent years.  The old-growth coffee trees of this region (Bourbon varieties) offer a fantastic starting point for farmers, but also recent upgrades to early 20th Century milling equipment, along with an investment in a modern cupping lab has elevated the quality of the coffee and, in turn, the profitability for the growers.  In 2017, the cooperative obtained organic certification, further increasing the premium paid to the producers.

Muungano represents around 4,400 small independent farmers, half of which are women.  This particular lot has been separated to represent the harvest of these women.  The cooperative has placed a heavy emphasis on gender justice and offers gender equality training and outreach.

Two years ago, we stumbled upon the upon the unique and complex coffee from Muungano and since then, we haven't found anything quite like it.  With summer on the horizon, a season well-suited for brighter coffees, we decided it was time to bring Muungano back in for a seasonal offering.

Sweet, bright, and complex, Muungano does not disappoint!  Roasted too a light-medium level, we are tasting a nice depth of sweetness with structured notes of stone fruit, Mandarin orange, apple, spice, and brown sugar with a bright acidity and medium body.  We hope you'll enjoy our latest offering from the DRC and join us in supporting the efforts of this fantastic cooperative!