Rwanda is turning its finest coffee into a bigger export opportunity, with the country’s top specialty lots recognised at the third Best of Rwanda National Specialty Coffee Competition as it seeks to raise the value and global profile of its coffee. The National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) selected 25 outstanding coffees from 320 samples submitted from across the country, with the winning lots set to be sold to global specialty coffee buyers at a live auction on October 21, 2026. ALSO READ: Why online auction for Rwanda’s best coffee matters In the Special Process Category, an Anaerobic Natural coffee from K-Organics in Huye District emerged first with a score of 90.74 points, while Great Coffee Farmers Ltd - Cyeza Coffee Washing Station's in Muhanga District topped the Fully Washed category with 89.74 points. From the farm to the global stage: Winners share their journey Evariste Karangwa, owner of K-Organics, whose coffee won the Best Processed Coffee category for the second time – as it also won it last year – emphasised the importance of careful harvesting and processing to maintain quality. To ensure quality coffee, we must harvest cherries at full maturity. Harvesting too early or too late affects the coffee's quality and taste. Timely processing is equally important; coffee should be washed soon after harvesting to prevent quality deterioration,” he said. We also ensure that coffee is properly prepared and dried, avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun. Farmers must follow the right processing practices and ensure that coffee is fully washed and handled carefully at every stage. Maintaining quality requires attention from harvesting through processing, he added. ALSO READ: Rwanda Coffee sets new record, fetching $88 per kilo at auction Esther Uwimana, from Cyeza Coffee Washing Station in Muhanga District, said: I am very excited. We have invested significant effort in producing high-quality coffee for the fully washed category. We work closely with farmers throughout the farming process, supporting them to apply fertilisers and improve their practices, she said. We also ensure that farmers deliver ripe coffee cherries on time. While at the washing station, we carefully wash and process the coffee to achieve the highest possible quality, she added. ALSO READ: How Rwanda’s coffee exports surged to nearly $120m in 2024/25 Orest Baragahorana, Chairperson of Coffee Exporters and Processors Association of Rwanda, commended NAEB for organising the Best of Rwanda Coffee competition, saying the initiative has helped raise the profile of Rwandan coffee in international markets, connect exporters with more buyers and create opportunities to grow sales. He also recognised the contribution of farmers, washing stations and cuppers whose combined efforts help maintain the quality of Rwandan coffee “Best of Rwanda Coffee has helped showcase this quality internationally and add value to our coffee. We must now work together to sustain these gains and continue improving, he said. The journey towards higher value coffee The Best of Rwanda National Specialty Coffee Competition is an annual initiative organised by NAEB to identify, recognise and promote Rwanda's exceptional coffees, showcase them on the global stage, expand market opportunities, contribute to increased coffee export revenues, and recognise the efforts of coffee farmers, processors and exporters while strengthening the country's reputation in the global specialty coffee market. The process begins with the submission of coffee samples by farmers, processors, and exporters from across the country. National coffee cuppers, led by an international head judge, evaluate the samples and select those that advance to the national jury stage. The top-ranked coffees are then declared winners. Speaking at the award ceremony, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), Telesphore Ndabamenye, emphasised the strategic importance of coffee to Rwanda's economy and livelihoods, as well as the country's ambition to increase the value earned from every quantity of coffee exported. The government recognises coffee as a national strategic commodity with the potential to contribute significantly to Rwanda's economy and to the livelihoods of Rwandans. We also intend to double our average export price,” he said. “Let us work together so that, in the years to come, Best of Rwanda becomes one of the most anticipated events in the global coffee calendar, a benchmark for quality and a symbol of what collaboration and commitment can achieve. The ambition is already reflected in the results of the competition's previous editions. Winners from the first two editions fetched fetched $71.8 per kilogramme in 2024 and $88 per kilogramme in 2025, demonstrating the growing market value and global interest in Rwanda's exceptional specialty coffees, according to NAEB.
