Known as the land of a thousand hills, Rwanda’s stunning scenery and warm, friendly people offer unique experiences in one of the most remarkable countries in the world. It is blessed with extraordinary biodiversity, with incredible wildlife living throughout its volcanoes, montane rainforest and sweeping plains.
Travellers come from far and wide to catch a glimpse of the magnificent gorillas, yet there is so much more to see and experience.
Rwandan Coffee, a second sunrise
Introduced in 1900s by the Germans, Coffee plays a major role in the economy of the country, contributing significantly to foreign exchange earnings and to the monetization of the rural economy.
There are different types of coffee grown in Rwanda. The annual quantity produced in Rwanda ranges from 20,000 to 22,000 metric tons exported mainly to the United States, Europe and Asia (Switzerland, UK, Belgium, Singapore, etc)
Rwandan coffee has been one of the best brewed in the world. It has scooped some international awards such as “Best of the Best” and “Coffee Lover’s Choice” in a competition that attracted brands from nine countries around the world.
It was also among the top 10 winners of International Barista Championship that took place in China, in 2019.
In 2018, the Rwandan coffee started trading on the world’s largest e-commerce platform, Alibaba after the Rwanda Government entered into a partnership with the e-commerce giant to trade Rwandan products on the online market.
So far, sales volumes of Rwandan coffee have grown by 700% on Tmall Global, Alibaba’s cross-border B2C platform.
Rwandan Tea, a natural reawakening
Introduced in 1952, Rwanda is ideal for tea growing as it is planted on hillsides at high altitude between 1,900 and 2,500 m, and on well drained marshes at an altitude between 1,550 and 1,800 m. Today, the tea industry is comprised of fourteen operational factories and two tea projects and has contributed to foreign exchange earnings.
Production of tea has increased steadily, from 60 Metric Tons of tea in 1958 to about 30,000 Metric Tons annually today.
Rwanda Tea is known for its high quality and is among the best in the world. Some of the best quality teas produced in Rwanda include; black tea, orthodox tea, white tea, green tea, organic tea and spicy tea.
Today Rwanda Tea has become highly valued in the weekly East African Tea Trade Association auctions in Mombasa, fetching record prices over the past couple of years.
Its major markets are in the Middle East, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Kazakhstan among others.