On the western shore of Lake Kivu, at 1,600–1,900 metres above sea level, a cooperative produces coffee of exceptional purity. Getting it out of the region has sometimes been a bumpy road. Here is the full story.
The cooperative
Rives du Kivu was founded in 2010 in the province of South Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It brings together 260 producers who grow coffee on the hills overlooking the lake. The cooperative has been chaired since its beginnings by Patrice Mwamba, a member of a regional network of Kivu cooperatives and a trusted figure in the local coffee landscape.
South Kivu is not a simple region. Market access, logistics, road safety and the stability of power networks are constant challenges. Yet the coffee potential is immense: altitude, volcanic soils, abundant water, historic Bourbon varieties.
The terroir
- Region : western shore of Lake Kivu, South Kivu province
- Altitude : 1,600 to 1,900 m
- Variety : Bourbon
- Process : washed, with water from Lake Kivu
- Number of producers : 260
The altitude and lakeside microclimate create ideal conditions for Bourbon. But it is above all the water of Lake Kivu, used to wash the cherries, that gives this coffee part of its identity: a particular clarity, an almost tea-like finesse, a distinctive character found year after year.
The coffee’s journey
The harvest runs from March to July. The cherries are picked ripe, pulped, then washed with lake water. After fermentation and rinsing, the beans are dried on tables. The washed process reigns here: it highlights the transparency of the profile and the quality of Congolese Bourbon.
The coffee then leaves South Kivu by road, crosses the rugged landscapes of eastern Congo, then reaches the port of Mombasa or Dar es Salaam depending on available routes. From there, it sails for Marseille.
Our partnership
Maison Soleil and Rives du Kivu have worked together since 2022. As early as 2023, the partnership was marked by an episode that illustrates the reality of direct trade in logistically fragile regions.
The 2023 incident: three months late
In July 2023, a regional transport route in South Kivu was temporarily closed. The container we were expecting in August arrived three months late. The direct consequence: our DRC — Rives du Kivu origin remained out of stock from August to October 2023.
We chose not to hide this incident. We explained it to our subscribers, offered them substitutions to the programme’s other African origins, and kept the dialogue open with Patrice Mwamba and his team throughout the crisis. Paradoxically, the ordeal strengthened mutual trust: together we revised the contract’s logistics clauses, added safety margins to the schedules, and confirmed our commitment to continuing the partnership.
- Partner since : 2022
- 2025 volume : 14 tonnes/year
- Main use : single origin DRC — Rives du Kivu and the blend Terres Ensoleillées
In the cup
The DRC — Rives du Kivu is a coffee of great finesse, particularly appreciated as filter. The cup is airy and floral, with a honeyed sweetness on the finish.
- Tasting notes : green tea, elderflower, light honey
- Intensity : 4 / 10
- Roast : light
- Certifications : direct trade, organic
- Available formats : 250 g and 1 kg (whole bean)
This is a coffee worth waiting for. And worth every kilometre it travels to reach us.