Not every coffee comes with a story. Rwanda Nova is grown on a farm that does more than produce high quality beans: it changes daily life for hundreds of the women who grow and process them. Behind the project are real people, real work and a result you can taste, as well as feel in the choice itself.
Rwanda Nova: a light roast with character and context
Rwanda Nova is a light roast made for filter brewing. It comes from the Gicumbi region in northern Rwanda, from plots sitting at 1,800-2,000 m a.s.l. In the cup it is apricot, milk chocolate, pomelo and jam: ripe sweetness alongside a light, clean acidity.
The beans come from the July 2023 harvest and were naturally processed, which means the whole cherries were dried in the sun. That brings out a more intense aroma and gives the coffee more sweetness and a fruitier character. The roast was built for the V60, the Chemex and other pour-over methods.
The people behind the coffee
This lot was produced by Nova Coffee Ltd, an independent family business founded by Agnes Mukamushinja and Felix Ndayambaje. They have run the farm since 2015 and work with more than 2,800 smallholders, most of them women organised in local cooperatives.
Nova Coffee is not only a farm. It also runs as a support and education centre: it creates jobs and gives women a route to knowledge and financial independence. Nurseries and apiaries have been set up in the area, and part of the work is backed by international agricultural development programmes. Coffee here is one piece of a much larger social change.
Quality that comes out of the conditions
Gicumbi has fertile volcanic soil and a well defined microclimate: a big swing between day and night temperatures, and access to clean water from Lake Muhazi. Cherries ripen slowly in that setting, and that feeds straight into the flavour and the quality of the beans.
Nova Coffee works to sustainability principles. The farm is Rainforest Alliance certified and is going through Fairtrade and Organic certification. Every year they plant 70,000 to 100,000 new trees, supporting local biodiversity and holding the soil against erosion.
Who is Rwanda Nova for?
This one is for people who want clarity in the cup and also want to know where the beans come from, how they were produced and by whom. Rwanda Nova is a strong pick for filter drinkers after balance, juiciness and a light sweetness, without the heavily fermented or sharp notes that some naturals carry.
