After a six-year pause, we’re reengaging with coffee producers, reconnecting with smallholder farmers and cooperatives running the washing stations, and exploring the unique flavors and quality improvements that have happened in recent years in Tanzania.
Tanzania’s fast changing Coffee Industry
We are very excited about what we are seeing and cupping from Tanzania this season. After years of challenges in logistics and consistency, things at origin are changing fast.
“We’ve always been interested in the region for coffee growing,” says Morten, our CEO and Co-Founder. “Like in many other East African countries, the conditions for specialty coffee are optimal.”
We started sourcing in South-West Tanzania back in 2013, and while the coffees were always great, accessibility used to be a major problem. Delays at the ports, bureaucracy, and limited licensing for exporters made it difficult to work efficiently in the past. Today, thanks to political and economic progress, including stronger partnerships and a modernized port in Dar es Salaam, export logistics and coffee production are improving, creating a more reliable environment for specialty coffee.
Mbeya and Songwe in Focus for Coffee Production
Historically dominated by northern estates near Kilimanjaro, Tanzanian Arabica production has shifted south. Mbeya and Mbinga now account for 90% of national output, putting smallholder farmers at the center of production. Tanzania is the third-largest coffee producer in East Africa, producing roughly 685,000 bags this year, close to Kenya’s volume.
Our sourcing is concentrated there, in Tanzania’s southern highlands, primarily in Mbeya Rural in Mbeya region and Mbozi in the Songwe region. These areas are home to our five main AMCOS partners: Nsoga, Iloma, Shilanga, Shinzingo, and Umalila.
The combination of good varieties, great altitudes, climate, soil quality and capacity for larger volumes makes the region ideal for specialty coffee. Small cooperatives here now have access to washing stations, while we provide guidance and support, helping to continuously develop coffee quality from farm to cup.
Our AMCOS Partnership Model
Our sourcing of specialty coffee in Tanzania is organized through AMCOS (Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies), which help smallholder farmers take greater ownership over production, processing, and sales, giving them more control over quality and income.
Each AMCOS can manage multiple washing stations, also called CPUs (Central Processing Units), providing the structure needed to operate efficiently at scale. A 2017 reform limited each village to one AMCOS, which helped clarify cooperative management structures.
We source our coffees through trusted AMCOS partners, while City Coffees, the NKG operations company in Tanzania, coordinates operations and provides guidance on farming, harvest processing, and quality management. They also support smallholder farmers with professional resources for natural processing, for example, raised-bed drying, which leverages Tanzania’s climate advantages and improves overall quality in ways that cannot be achieved through home processing. City Coffees operates under Iberia Tanzania management and holds the necessary licenses to work directly with the cooperatives.
Tanzanian Coffee Flavors and Profiles
Southern Tanzania offers excellent growing conditions for coffee beans: high altitudes, rich soil, and a tropical climate that supports consistent quality. Our washed lots from higher elevations are showing exceptional character, with dark cherry, floral, rosehip, hibiscus, citrus, and stone fruit notes. The naturals are complex and aromatic, with mild booziness and layers of ripe tropical fruit.
These profiles reflect the diversity of the highlands and the dedication of the cooperative members to quality. Stronger infrastructure, a more stable political climate, and a reformed export system all mean that Tanzanian coffee can now move from farm to roastery efficiently, a win for producers, roasters, and specialty coffee lovers alike.
With our Tanzanian coffees, we are entering a promising new chapter. By working closely with our AMCOS partners and supporting quality-focused practices from cherry to export, we will create access to some of Tanzania’s most exciting specialty coffees. If you’re interested in reserving lots or ordering samples, reach out to your sales rep or check our offer list.
