Following its stellar performance at a competition and online auction in 2024, Nova Coffee Ltd, a Gicumbi-based company has seen demand for its coffee soar beyond its production capacity, according to its owner, Agnes Mukamushinja. Last year, Nova Coffee’s specialty green (unroasted) coffee fetched $71.8 per kilogramme, the highest price in an online auction featuring the 18 top coffees from the inaugural Best of Rwanda Specialty Coffee Competition. The winning price was 14 times higher than the average international coffee price at the time. According to the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), this sale set a record in Rwanda’s coffee history. A year later, Mukamushinja says the impact of the competition and online auction is unmistakable, highlighting how such platforms enhance Rwanda’s coffee visibility and market reach. “This year, our coffee sales have increased by a third compared to last year. Even so, demand still exceeds our production,” she said, projecting that Nova Coffee’s total sales will rise by about 80 per cent by the end of the current year. She preferred not to disclose the sales volume (in tonnes) in the media. ALSO READ: Rwanda Coffee sets new record, fetching $88 per kilo at auction On October 8, a new record was set when a batch from K Organics Ltd, based in Huye District, fetched $88.18 per kilogramme (around Rwf130,000) in the 2025 online auction. This broke the previous $71.8 record set by Nova Coffee in 2024. This was the second edition of the Best of Rwanda Specialty Coffee Competition, and again, the winning lot sold for about 14 times the current average export price of Rwandan coffee on international markets, according to NAEB. Overall, more than $304,000 (over Rwf440 million) was generated from the sale of about 11,210 kilogrammes of coffee during the auction, which attracted bidders from countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, France, the US, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Africa, Greece, Poland, Germany, and the UK. In comparison, the 2024 edition raised just over $165,000 from 6,600 kilogrammes of coffee. For Evariste Karangwa, representing K Organics Ltd, receiving the highest bid for his coffee was a tremendous honour. He observed that the achievement highlights their dedication to producing high-quality coffee and that the recognition would allow him to reinvest in farming activities, further improving coffee quality and supporting the livelihoods of the community. NAEB Chief Operations Officer, Sandrine Urujeni stressed the importance of maintaining high standards to achieve even higher prices at the Best of Rwanda coffee auction, while acknowledging that the previous record price per kilo was surpassed by over $10. “Now we are raising the bar high, so we have to ensure that, next time, we reach at least $100 per kilo”. Urujeni praised the competition, now in its second edition, as “a good initiative” and called for continued collaboration and quality improvement across the coffee sector. Why it matters According to Oreste Baragahorana, Chairperson of the Coffee Exporters and Processors Association of Rwanda (CEPAR), the Best of Rwanda competition and its online auction aim to promote Rwandan coffee globally and attract premium buyers. “The main purpose is to showcase Rwanda’s coffee on the global stage. Although the quantities sold are small, they represent all Rwandan coffees and serve as a marketing platform,” he explained. He added that the auctions encourage buyers to explore other Rwandan coffees, helping boost international demand and overall market presence. “Most of the auction revenue goes back to farmers to motivate them to increase production,” Baragahorana said, adding that top producers also benefit by gaining international recognition and attracting more direct buyers who scramble for their coffee. As per NAEB, farmers who supplied coffee (cherries) to processing factories are allocated 75 per cent of the Best of Rwanda auction revenues, while the factories get 25 per cent corresponding the costs they incur in the process. It indicated that Best of Rwanda National Specialty Coffee Competition, an annual event organised by NAEB and partners, aims to showcase the finest coffee produced by farmers, enhancing visibility and access to international markets. ALSO READ: Rising prices offer Rwanda’s coffee sector a boost Boosting Rwanda’s coffee exports Under the fifth Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA 5), Rwanda aims to increase its annual coffee export revenues from $78.7 million in 2023/24 to $115.5 million by 2029, representing a 46.8 per cent rise. Baragahorana believes the Best of Rwanda Coffee Competition and online auctions will play a role in achieving this target.
