Record-Breaking Online Auctions See Significant Increase In Demand For Rwandan Coffee – CoffeeTalk

Rwanda’s coffee industry has seen a significant increase in demand following its stellar performance at the Best of Rwanda Specialty Coffee Competition in 2024. Nova Coffee Ltd, a Gicumbi-based company, saw its specialty green (unroasted) coffee fetch $71.8 per kilogramme, setting a record in Rwanda’s coffee history. The National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) reported that this sale set a record in Rwanda’s coffee history.

The impact of the competition and online auction is evident, as they enhance Rwanda’s coffee visibility and market reach. This year, Nova Coffee’s coffee sales have increased by a third compared to last year, but demand still exceeds production. Projecting that Nova Coffee’s total sales will rise by about 80 per cent by the end of the current year, Mukamushinja said.

On October 8, a new record was set when a batch from K Organics Ltd, based in Huye District, fetched $88.18 per kilogramme (around Rwf130,000) in the 2025 online auction. This broke the previous $71.8 record set by Nova Coffee in 2024. The second edition of the Best of Rwanda Specialty Coffee Competition generated over $304,000 (over Rwf440 million) from the sale of about 11,210 kilogrammes of coffee during the auction, which attracted bidders from countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, France, the US, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Africa, Greece, Poland, Germany, and the UK.

NAEB Chief Operations Officer, Sandrine Urujeni stressed the importance of maintaining high standards to achieve even higher prices at the Best of Rwanda coffee auction. He called for continued collaboration and quality improvement across the coffee sector. Oreste Baragahorana, Chairperson of the Coffee Exporters and Processors Association of Rwanda (CEPAR), explained that the Best of Rwanda competition and its online auction aim to promote Rwandan coffee globally and attract premium buyers. The auctions encourage buyers to explore other Rwandan coffees, helping boost international demand and overall market presence.

Under the fifth Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA 5), Rwanda aims to increase its annual coffee export revenues from $78.7 million in 2023/24 to $115.5 million by 2029, representing a 46.8% rise. Baragahorana believes the Best of Rwanda Coffee Competition and online auctions will play a role in achieving this target.

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