Young entrepreneurs build local market for local coffee
Young entrepreneurs in South Kivu are building a domestic market for Congolese coffee by processing beans locally, strengthening their brands and encouraging consumers to buy locally. Their businesses are creating opportunities for young people and women while reducing reliance on export markets.
Akonkwa Mountain Coffee, a young entrepreneur-led processing company in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is building a local market for coffee grown in the South Kivu region. The company employs 10 young people and sources coffee from over 1,500 farmers through a network of washing stations in Kabare, Kalehe, and Idjwi territories.
Founded in 2024, Akonkwa Mountain Coffee aims to help farmers reach both local and international markets, improve coffee quality, and encourage more Congolese people to consume locally-produced coffee. The company's efforts come as armed conflict in the region has made access to farms and international buyers less predictable, leading to a shift in focus towards building a domestic market for a crop that was traditionally grown largely for export.
Brief written by urgent.news from IOL's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
