Klatch Coffee

About Klatch Coffee DR Congo AMKA Cooperative

This bean features a dynamic flavor profile from start to finish. It starts with a sweet chocolate and cinnamon spice in aroma. Then, bright hints of lemon, grapes, honey and orange become are defined in the cup. Along with a tart-berry acidity and velvety body, this coffee will give you something to smile about to start the new year! Kahawa Latumba washing station was built just before the 2014 coffee season In their inaugural season, the AMKA Cooperative, led by Kabugoyi Andre, produced 50,000 kgs green coffee. In 2015 they produced 60,000 kgs of green coffee. The climatic and geographical conditions of the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo are ideal to grow high quality coffee. However, infrastructure and trade have been in decline since the country gained its independence from Belgium in the 1960’s and were nearly destroyed in the years following the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Ongoing conflicts and violence caused many farmers to flee, abandoning their homes and coffee plantations. Producers who had nowhere else to go were forced to smuggle their coffee harvest out of the country to make a living. Although the situation is still unstable, many farmers are looking for means to rebuild their lives again through agriculture. Fair Trade coffee, which has already proven a powerful conflict resolution tool in other unstable regions, has the potential to provide farmers and communities with sustainable livelihoods. Situated on the shores of Lake Kivu, SOPACDI (Solidarité Paysanne pour la Promotion des Actions Café et Développement Intégral) is one of few Congolese coffee cooperatives working with farmers affected by the region’s constant struggles. With support from different organizations such as Twin Trading, SOPACDI has built its capacity to produce and export coffee to the highest of international standards. Due to the dire situation of coffee farmers in East Congo, Fair Trade officials took the initiative to allow SOPACDI to trade on Fair Trade terms on the basis of a documentary inspection, as the smoldering conflict in the region prevented FLO-CERT inspectors from traveling into the country. The cooperative became the first Fair Trade certified entity in Congo, with over 3,200 members of which an estimated 600 are women.

Since 1993, formerly known as Coffee Klatch, Klatch Coffee Inc. has been searching the world over for the finest coffee. Buying from only the top 1% of beans available, Klatch roasts in small batches to ensure optimum flavor and freshness. Mike Perry [ Roastmaster and Owner ] blends a background in chemical engineering with a love for great coffee to balance science and artistry in achieving the perfect cup.