Mahembe Coffee: A cherry producer, green bean processor, and trader in the Rwandan coffee sector

The report evaluates Mahembe Coffee, a small and medium-sized enterprise in Rwanda that produces, processes, and exports specialty coffee. Using the RAI Tool for Agribusiness, the study finds that the company generally maintains high compliance with responsible investment principles, largely driven by the founder's commitment to community development. Key strengths include fair pricing for farmers, inclusive governance, and environmental risk management. However, the report identifies risks related to the informal nature of its operations—such as a lack of written employment contracts—and the potential for this culture to wane as the business transitions to new shareholders. It recommends formalizing policies and procedures to ensure the continuity of its social and environmental standards.

• Mahembe Coffee demonstrates high compliance with the CFS-RAI across several dimensions, including strategy and accountability, inclusive structure, and environmental sustainability, though its alignment is primarily sustained by the values of the sole shareholder and founder.
• The company implements a social-centric business strategy, dedicating 10% of profits to community development projects and paying farmers above the minimum price set by the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB).
• Mahembe Coffee employs inclusive governance practices, including two formal seasonal consultations with farmers, a worker committee for grievance resolution, and the use of WhatsApp for communication with 569 smartphone-owning suppliers.
• Environmental management is a high-compliance area, with the company utilizing solar facilities for 80% of its power, implementing erosion control, and ensuring chemical containers are sent to a recycling plant in Kigali.
• The company addresses the sector's ageing farmer crisis—where it estimates 70% of suppliers are over 60—by providing 11 hectares of its own land to a co-operative of 72 youth on a 20-year arrangement.
• Human resource practices show high youth and women participation, with women making up 44% of permanent and 55% of seasonal staff, and 89% of permanent staff being under 35.
• A significant gap in RAI compliance is the lack of formalization; most employees, including permanent staff, operate under verbal agreements without written contracts or job descriptions.
• The company lacks formal policies on food safety, relying instead on compliance with NAEB coffee production inspections.
• Mahembe Coffee provides critical financial safety nets for farmers, offering interest-free loans for school fees and encouraging the formation of local savings and credit groups.

APA

Mirza, H., & Pringle, D. (2024). Mahembe Coffee: A cherry producer, green bean processor, and trader in the Rwandan coffee sector. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-08/responsible-agricultural-investment-rwanda-mahembe-coffee.pdf

Chicago

Mirza, Hafiz, and Duncan Pringle. Mahembe Coffee: A cherry producer, green bean processor, and trader in the Rwandan coffee sector. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2024. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-08/responsible-agricultural-investment-rwanda-mahembe-coffee.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mirza |first1=Hafiz |last2=Pringle |first2=Duncan |title=Mahembe Coffee: A cherry producer, green bean processor, and trader in the Rwandan coffee sector |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=June 2024 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-08/responsible-agricultural-investment-rwanda-mahembe-coffee.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mirza2024mahembe, author = {Mirza, Hafiz and Pringle, Duncan}, title = {{Mahembe Coffee: A cherry producer, green bean processor, and trader in the Rwandan coffee sector}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-08/responsible-agricultural-investment-rwanda-mahembe-coffee.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }