Our Story: Rwandan Coffee Company
Learn how Imizi works with Rwandan coffee farmers to bring green, roasted and packaged coffee to the world. We’re Axel and Gatete, two Rwandans building imizi around a simple belief: the people who grow our coffee deserve to share more fully in its value.
Rooted in where we come from
We have seen how much work coffee demands from local farmers—the endless days of pruning, weeding, hand-picking each cherry at peak redness, and hauling heavy harvest baskets across steep volcanic hillsides. And we have seen how difficult it can be for that effort to translate into a better livelihood.
For generations, Rwandan smallholders produced some of the highest-rated specialty coffee beans on earth, only to sell them as raw commodity cherries. We founded imizi in Kigali to reverse that dynamic.
Closing the value gap at source
That is why we are taking a different approach. We work directly with our farming community, paying fair prices, investing in local processing, and building relationships based on respect rather than convenience.
By handling roasting, packaging, and export from Kigali, we ensure that the value generated by specialty coffee stays right here where the coffee begins. When you purchase imizi coffee, your investment directly supports Rwandan farm families and community infrastructure.
Better everyday coffee for everyone
Specialty coffee does not have to be exclusive or complicated. We believe exceptional coffee should be accessible, transparent, and joyful to brew. Whether you are drinking a cup in Kigali, roasting green lots in London, or serving espresso in Dubai, you are tasting coffee that honors every hand that nurtured it.