Kenyan coffee is known for its full-bodied flavor and strong fragrance, with a slightly winey and acidic aftertaste. The government is very involved in the country’s coffee production, rewarding growers with higher prices for higher quality and ensuring that the equatorial country produces only the best.
It’s estimated that coffee growers first began harvesting wild coffee trees in Ethiopia around 800 B.C. Considered the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia produces an incredible amount of delicious coffee from its three growing regions: Sidamo, Harer, and Kaffa. The word coffee is thought to come from Kaffa, the province most noted for is arabica trees. Full flavored and full bodied, the flowery and fruity characteristics of Ethiopian coffee have made it popular around the world.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is not one of the largest coffee producers on the continent, but its commitment to quality is clear. Small farms throughout the DRC produce both robusta and arabica blends, using the dry method of harvesting, and they can be found throughout the north, east, and central basin regions.
Uganda has become one of the leading coffee exporters in Africa, beating out Ethiopia largely due to its low local consumption rates of less than 2 percent. Its robusta trees are some of the finest in the world. The notable bugisu blend has a strong following internationally, ensuring that Ugandan coffee will continue to be widely available on the market for some time to come.
Coffee production has become a vital economic resource in Burundi, as small farms throughout the northern regions have begun to produce soft arabica and robusta since their introduction to the country by the Belgians in 1930. With a full body and bright, floral flavors, Burundi coffee is de facto organically grown, given that most farmers eschew chemicals for the sake of keeping costs low and quality high.
Coffee production in Madagascar accounts for nearly a third of the country’s export economy, and the robusta, arabica, and exceise blends are all found throughout the island nation. Smallholders produce more than 90 percent of the country’s coffee, and many choose to harvest wild coffee trees just once a year to produce higher quality.
It’s estimated that nearly 45 percent of the population of Côte d’Ivoire makes its living from coffee production. Ivorian coffee production dropped since the mid-1990s when it was assumed that the quality had suffered in the boom of mass production, but the country has steadily begun to rebuild its growing and export culture. The specialty robusta blends are particularly popular from Côte d’Ivoire.
The spicy flavors of Cameroonian arabica coffee have earned the country a reputation for excellent quality, but Cameroon’s natural robusta production has also gained international popularity. Though production isn’t as high as it could be (farmers often plant subsistence crops in between their coffee trees, stealing away much of the fertilizer from the plants), Cameroon’s ideal climatic balance ensures its coffee’s high quality.
Angola has slowly been rebuilding its coffee exporting economy that slowed throughout the 1970s and 1980s due to civil war and famine. Its Robusta production has been growing steadily. Since the plants were introduced by the Portuguese decades ago, Angola has relied on coffee production as a key player in its economy, and exports to Europe and North America.
Coffee trees in Tanzania are largely grown near the Kenyan border on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as further south in the region between Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa. Tanzanian coffee is known for its full body, winey acidity, and deep richness, enchanting coffee enthusiasts who prefer darker roasts and enhanced flavors.
