The Mwika North Farmer Group was established in 1984 as a cooperative and as a member of the larger Kilimanjaro Native Co-operative Union (KNCU) the very first cooperative in Tanzania. The KNCU was established in 1925, shortly after the arrival of coffee in Tanzania. In 2004, Mwika North became one of the first organic certified producer groups in the Kilimanjaro region. The producers still take pride in following organic farming standards, and this coffee has EU Organic certification status (though not U.S.). Coffee remains an important cash crop for farmers in the Lelo village and its surroundings, and in 2015 the group commissioned a CPU (central processing unit), which it expects will help it to increase its production yields.
Welcome to my Table, here in the corner of this cafe. Today we’re cupping the Tanzania Kilimanjaro, from Dash Coffee Roasters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Feel free to pull up a chair.
THEDETAILS
region: Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
farm: NA
producer: smallholder farmers
association: Mwika North Farmer Group
elevation: 1400 – 1800 meters above sea level
cultivars: Bourbon, Kent, Nyasa
process: fully washed, raised bed dried
CUPPINGNOTES
The aroma of the Tanzania Kilimanjaro is sweet and lively, brimming with scents of vanilla, brown sugar, dark berries, and grapefruit.
Diving into the cup
What were your thoughts of this one? Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome! Feel free to enter a comment below.
UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL PRODUCTS REVIEWED ARE UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONS FROM THE PRODUCT MANUFACTURER.
Andrew is a husband, father, dog lover, craft beverage enthusiast, content creator, and niche market Internet celebrity. Formerly of A Table in the Corner of the Cafe and The Pulitzer Project and contributor to Barista Magazine and Mental Floss, he’s been writing on the Internet for years.