About This Coffee
Cooperative Agricole pour la Promotion des actions Café de Development (CAPACAD) was founded in 2019 by 66 smallholder farmers in Kalehe who were concerned about community development. As a group, CAPACAD purchased 12.15 hectares and built a microwashing station equipped with a Bental-brand drum pulper.
Today, more than 560 producing members, of whom 40% are women, work with CAPACAD. This lot comes from CAPACAD’s farm and from contributing members, all processed at their microwashing station. CAPACAD plans to continue expanding and exporting coffee from member farmers as a way to reduce unemployment and poverty in the community.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Coffee is mechanically harvested and ripe, red cherry is processed at the micro-washing station. Cherry is pulped in a Bental-brand drum pulper and fermented in water for 12to 24 hours. Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and laid on raised beds to dry. Workers rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 14 to 21 days for parchment to dry. Once dry, parchment is stored for 1 to 2 months in an on-site warehouse before being transported to a dry mill in Goma, South Kivu.
Coffee in Democratic Republic of Congo
Coffee once played a huge part in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) economy. Eastern DRC was called “a paradise for coffee.” Unfortunately, the country’s dark colonial history followed by waves of political turmoil limited prosperity in the coffee sector. Today, coffee’s making a comeback as a number of private and public sector actors invest in the country. We believe DRC is a country to watch as it continues to build the infrastructure and knowledge needed for specialty coffee production.