Intango (pronounced “Inango”) is a small washing station on the edge of Lake Kivu. Once part of a cooperative that won the 2014 Rwanda Cup of Excellence, it became run down as the cooperative dissolved. That is until our friend Gilbert Gatali took it over. Grown up in Canada but Rwandan by roots, Gilbert came back to his African roots as a coffee importer. He then continued to help hundreds of farmers improve their quality as manager of Rwanda's first farmer-owned specialty coffee export company. Finally, after 13 years of managing coffee quality indirectly, he and his best friend Gervais are fulfilling their dreams of running their own specialty coffee washing station.
The washing station works with only 400 supplying farmers, but this gives Gilbert the oversight to make lasting impact for all of them. ‘Intango’ itself is Kinyarwanda for “beginning”: Gilbert’s intention was to create a communal starting point for farmers, staff and community to come together, grow and change their lives positively. Gilbert invests in both quality and environmental sustainability (organic fertilisation and shade trees), with a special role for women in managerial positions.
CULTIVARS
Arabica Bourbon types: French Mission, Jackson, Mbirizi
ALTITUDE
1,500 - 1,900 meters above sea level
NOTABLE
Independent washing station enhanced to create only specialty coffee production. All 400 farmers recipient of Intango’s environmental sustainability program.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
2018: Washing station established in its current form: Imported first lots to Europe and established direct trade connections.
2019: Started natural trials, imported both naturals and washed coffees.
PROCESSING
The naturals are shade dried, then sun dried and consistently turned to achieve the lowest possible amount of defects.