Rwanda – Tumba – Natural

The story of the Tumba station and its producer, Venuste

Tumba was founded by Venuste, a former schoolteacher who was inspired by his family’s coffee-growing tradition and chose to dedicate himself fully to the craft. Today, he employs 12 permanent staff and up to 95 seasonal workers during harvest, with over 1,650 smallholder farmers delivering cherries to the station. In 2022 alone, this amounted to 290,000 kg of cherries, all processed with a focus on quality and detail.

Venuste sees his role as one of service to the community. From cherry collection to processing and storage, everything follows strict quality standards he’s established for himself.

How coffee is processed at Tumba

Once delivered, ripe cherries are hand-sorted and floated in water to remove low-density or damaged fruit. They are then moved to pre-drying tables for a second round of visual inspection.

Drying takes place on traditional raised African beds, which ensure optimal airflow and even moisture distribution. The cherries are turned regularly, and the full drying process lasts between 25 – 30 days, depending on weather conditions.

After drying, the outer husk is mechanically removed, and the green coffee is stored under ideal conditions. Thanks to the region’s favourable climate, the station operates year-round.

Variety

Tumba is built on Red Bourbon, a traditional Rwandan variety known for thriving at higher altitudes. Combined with natural processing, it yields a cup with gentle sweetness, floral notes, and citrus brightness — hallmarks of high-quality Rwandan coffees.