Coko FTO

Rwanda - Province du Nord - Gakenke - Coko - FW - 80+ - FTO

CROP 2025/2026 See coffee details

SCA score83.25

Aromatic notes

citrus fruitdried fruitcocoabrown sugarmalt

Available on sample request (60kg)

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History and traceability

The story

The Arabica Red Bourbon variety is hand-picked from April to September, reflecting the longer ripening period in Rwanda’s highland regions. The cherries are sourced from 702 cooperative members spread across the region. Farmers living close to the washing station deliver their cherries by bicycle or carry them on their heads, while those farther away use cooperative-managed collection points where cherries are gathered and transported by truck.

Upon arrival, the cherries are weighed, floated to remove defective cherries, and pulped using a McKinnon machine. The pulped coffee then undergoes fermentation in the five tanks for 18 to 23 hours, adjusted to the cooler temperatures of the highlands. After fermentation, the coffee is thoroughly washed and graded by density to ensure quality.

Next, the coffee is placed on shaded primary drying tables for defect sorting before being transferred to drying beds, where it dries over 20 to 30 days until reaching the ideal moisture content. After drying, the coffee is stored and hand-sorted once more for quality assurance. Final milling is carried out at the Dukunde Kawa Cooperative Mill, completing the process and preparing the coffee for export.

A Fairtrade certification (FLO ID) is required to place an order for this Fairtrade-certified product.

TWONGEREKAWA COKO Cooperative was established in 2009 by a small group of dedicated coffee farmers in Coko Sector, Gakenke District, in Rwanda’s Northern Province. The name “Twongerekawa,” meaning “Let us increase coffee” in Kinyarwanda, reflects the founding members’ shared ambition to expand production, improve quality, and gain better access to markets.

In the early 2000s, smallholder farmers in the highlands of Coko faced significant challenges: limited access to specialty coffee markets, minimal technical knowledge on proper harvesting and post-harvest practices, weak bargaining power from selling cherries individually at low prices, and no centralized coffee processing facilities.

Motivated to overcome these barriers, the farmers united under a common vision. With support from the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), the Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA), NGOs, and development partners, the cooperative was formally registered in 2009. Members contributed land, labor, and resources to establish their own wet coffee washing station—an achievement that marked the beginning of producing fully washed coffee in the area.

Since then, TWONGEREKAWA COKO has grown in both membership and expertise. It has participated in national and international coffee competitions, built relationships with direct buyers seeking ethically sourced, high-quality coffee, and invested in farmer training, traceability, and recordkeeping systems. The cooperative also engages in environmental protection and community development initiatives.

Today, with 702 members, TWONGEREKAWA COKO stands as a model for how smallholder farmers can transform rural economies through unity and empowerment. The cooperative continues to pursue certifications such as Organic, Fairtrade, and Rainforest Alliance, while championing the inclusion of women, youth, and vulnerable groups in coffee farming.