Choosing Rwanda’s cup of excellence

Rwanda’s Coffee Development Authority (Ocir-Café) is hosting the Cup of Excellence Competition for the first time. The coffee contest pre-selections have been going on for the last month and the best coffee producers will be chosen between now and August 28. Sunday Times reporter, EDDIE MUKAAYA spoke to the Director General of Ocir-Café, Alex Kanyakole, to find out what the competition is all about. Q: Could you please explain the Cup of Excellence Competition? A: Well, if I can give a little history about the competition, it began in Brazil, the world’s leading coffee producer, in 1999. Just as it sounds, the competition is about identifying an excellent cup of coffee. These awards come from a strict competition that selects the very best coffee produced in that country for that particular year. The winning coffees are cupped (tasted) at least five different times during the competition process. Therefore, a coffee sample or lot is declared a Cup of Excellence, as the most esteemed award given out. Q: Why was Rwanda chosen to host this competition? A: Rwanda was selected basing on the reputable success of the national coffee competition known as The Golden Cup Rwanda 2007. But you shouldn’t rule out the fact that Rwandan coffee has also been faring well on the international market. Coffee is one of the biggest foreign exchange earners with $42.3 million (Frw23.1 billion) last year. Q: Who tastes and determines this coffee is better than the other? A: A selected group of international and national judges known as ‘cuppers’ decide. The national cuppers are trained on cupping tips before making the pre-selections for the coffees that qualify for the final stage. After the pre-selection, we expect about 50 coffees to qualify for the final scrutiny and thorough sampling by the international jury. The international cuppers are coffee professionals recognised by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE). Q: Who participates in the competition? A: Farmers attached to washing stations and cooperatives are all eligible to participate. Washing stations and cooperative then register for the contest by submitting their coffee samples representing farmers. All these come from the country’s 100 washing stations and 120 cooperatives for over 500,000 coffee farmers. A total of 207 coffee samples registered for the competition. However, only 125 coffees qualified for the next round of scrutiny by the national jury before being passed on to the level for the international jury. Q: What exactly do the jury look for? A: Coffee features in scent, aroma, colour, flavour, and acidity. Q: How many coffees are awarded The Cup of Excellence? A: The number of coffees given this prestigious award depends entirely on the quality of the entrants. The requirements are so strict that very few coffees from a country are honored in this way. Q: In what way do participants benefit? A: It’s just like any competition where participates expect to win or lose. But apart from the prestigious recognition of a farmer’s coffee as of quality, it also creates market for the coffee winners on the international market. Q: How does it create market? A: Winning farmers are acknowledged for their dedication to quality. Not only is the farmer given a prestigious award during a national ceremony but the majority of the record prices at auction go back to the producers who deserve and need it. Coffee connoisseurs worldwide with discerning palates who appreciate the complex flavour and aromatics found in a world class coffee buy and appreciate these winners. The roaster who buys these coffees cares about providing the highest quality to his customers as well as creating a direct relationship with the winning farmer. In addition, the farmer is now recognized in the industry as being a quality producer. A winning farm and often the whole region can expect to receive future visits from roasters looking to buy more quality coffee for their companies. Q: How is it beneficial to Ocir-Café? A: It is Ocir-café responsibility to promote coffee development and export in the country. So with such programmes, coffee export will be promoted at a two way frank. Firstly, the competition will ensure quality improvement on the farmer’s side in order to compete with other coffees. Secondly, it will promote and prove Rwandan coffee quality. This promotion is expected to contribute to this year’s coffee sales target of $50.9 million (Frw27.7 billion). It is a 66.6 per cent increase from last year’s total sales of $35.7 million (Frw19.4 billion). Q: How is Rwandan coffee faring on the international market? A: Rwandan coffee is faring well on the international market with Europe providing the biggest share of 50 per cent, Asia, 10 per cent and US, about 35 per cent. The domestic consumption is estimated at five per cent. Q: You have talked about auctioning, how much would you expect Rwandan coffee to cost if auctioned? A: Auctioning also provides different prices for an item. The prices are not fixed at all but the highest bidder takes it all. For this case, I cannot anticipate how much the Rwandan coffee will be bought but what I can only guarantee is that the price will always be high. Q: What will happen to losers? A: As I said earlier, participants expect a winner and loser. They wouldn’t feel good obviously but it is a challenge for them to build from their mistakes and be the best next time in order to reap the benefits that come with the competition. Q: Who buys these winning coffees? A: Coffee authorities and factories worldwide are also on the look out for such quality coffee. For example, coffee stores in Europe will also go for proven quality coffee for their clients. Q: Any other message for the public about the competition? A: All coffee stakeholders should join us and improve coffee quality, where lucrative potentials lay. Despite being one of the country’s foreign exchange earners, it is still our responsibility to see higher coffee returns that are crucial for the economy of impoverished Rwanda, which is seeking to cut down high poverty levels among its 10 million people. Ends