We took the prices of these kilograms to measure the financial impact on the ground.

Overview of the origins that were used to create the Radboud
blend between November 2022-May 2025

*the African coffees were taken together, so 331 bags in total
*the South American component were taken together, so total of 361 bags

An in-depth look at the origins that were used to create the Radboud
blend between November 2022-2024

After the genocide ended, leaving behind widows, displaced and separated families, single mothers, children at risk, poor sanitary and health measurements, hunger, vulnerability, and trauma - Rwandas government began implementing a restoration project to bring unity to the population. Abakundakawa Rushashi was born from these efforts. However, it was not until 2012, when its former manager and lifelong coffee farmer Antoine Kagenza took over the management of the cooperative, that specialty and quality coffee was taught and spread over the 17 districts that form it.

Over the past years, Abakundakawa has significantly grown, attracting more farmers to produce specialty coffee and carefully developing a savings and credit system that offers economic security to its members. In 1999, the cooperative started with 103 members. Today it is formed by 2109 farmers, of which 919 are women, and 477 are youth. In 17 villages in Gakenke district, they supported the creation and development of two women in coffee groups: Duhingekawa and Abanyameraka, as well as the Ishema Youth Coffee Group, also conformed mostly of women (from the 477 farmers 289 are women), developed thanks to an initiative that came from Rutabo farmers when they noticed the alarming reality on the ground.

In Rwanda, 80% of the farmers are elderly, unemployment is high (24%), and the risk of joining gangs is also quite elevated. "The options young people have are limited," shares Antoine. "A young man can help their parents with their lands, migrate to the city, or join the army. A young woman can marry, migrate to the city (and usually work in sex services), or become a sewer or a hairdresser."

Access to a bigger and broader market, such as Radboud, helped Abakundakawa to develop this much-needed coffee group that also serves as a solution to one of the biggest challenges in coffee: the generational gap. By actively engaging the youth in coffee, production increases for everyone. The most labor-intensive chores rely on the youth. The elder also chose to leave the land to them, increasing the productivity of each tree. The Ishema Youth Coffee Group started in 2016 with 63 members. Today, 477 young farmers are part of this group. They learn credit, savings, administration, and, mostly, coffee.

New to working hard on the social impact, This Side Up and Abakundakawa Rushashi have been working hard on implementing ecological friendly farming practices. Read more about our regenerative project at Rushashi here.

ORIGIN TRIP 2025

Intango (pronounced as Inango) started working with This Side Up from 2017. It is a washing station on the edge of lake Kivu in Rwanda. Once part of a cooperative that won the 2014 Rwanda Cup of Excellence, it became run down as the cooperative dissolved. Run by Gilbert Gatali and his high school best friend Gervais, Intango strives to focus on putting the needs of the farmers at the center of all kinds of innovation. They are focused on building technologically savvy applications that will let farmers receive their payments including bonuses without any hassle. All the changes they are creating are in line with helping the farmers improve their quality and move towards a better livelihood.

Recently the farmers from the cooperative who have never been to the capital Kigali wanted to go and see who bought their coffees and visit them. The farmers were always welcoming visitors and for the first time they wanted to be visitors and learn who consumes their coffee in the big city. Intango arranged for this visit. Intango works many vulnerable groups like those with disabilities and help them find employment opportunities within the coffee production so they can also earn their income.

Intango works closely with farmers in training them about the importance of sending their children to school and the value that primary education adds to a child’s life. Intango is focused on working towards processing techniques and also set up a dedicated cupping facilities to experiment on developing various flavor profiles in close cooperation with the farmers. A recurring contract like Radboud can help the farmers immensly in not only earning a steady income but also motivate them to invest in their futures. This kind of a direct relationship fosters allows them to move towards an economic stability if offered over prolonged time periods. The Radboud blend has a total of 30% Rwandan coffees.

ORIGIN TRIP 2025

Cahyo Pertama, founder of First Light Coffee, is a 31-year-old entrepreneur leading a youth movement in Candiroto village, Temanggung district. His name, meaning “First Light,” perfectly reflects his pioneering spirit. Although his family worked as spice traders, Cahyo saw potential in coffee—particularly the robusta native to his region.

Faced with limited job opportunities, Cahyo brought together 20 young members, 10 of whom were first-time coffee planters, to explore specialty coffee production. Their decision to focus on quality proved transformative. Coffee not only became profitable but also improved their social standing. Working together made accessing knowledge and resources easier, strengthening their collective success.

While Cahyo initially struggled to find an equal footing with larger cooperatives, his collaboration with Kojoyo finally provided the support and partnership needed to bring his vision of sustainable, high-quality coffee to life.

In 2020, Kojoyo partnered with Indonesia’s Counter-Terrorism Body (BNPT) to rehabilitate former radicals, offering them livelihoods through coffee farming and tourism. Today, 100 hectares of government-dedicated land supports this project, with 30 hectares already producing specialty coffee. Kojoyo also addresses environmental challenges like soil degradation and cyclones by promoting sustainable practices, including windbreakers and centralized organic fertilizer production.This year, Kojoyo and Cahyo Pertama’s group, First Light Coffee, have joined forces to align their Arabica and Robusta efforts. Together, they plan collaborative projects such as soil testing and organic fertilizer production. With shared values and complementary business models, this partnership strengthens both groups, ensuring long-term sustainability and mutual growth. By turning coffee into a tool for economic empowerment, social rehabilitation, and environmental renewal, Kojoyo exemplifies how grassroots efforts can drive transformative change.

ORIGIN TRIP 2025

Argote specialty coffee run by Juan Pablo currently has 22 farmers associated to them. Each of them own between 1-3 hectares of land on an average. Farmers sell parchment to Juan Pablo who later then mills, sorts and exports it on their behalf. All the farmers get paid the same fixed price/kg for a specific processing method. Farmers who have a direct relationships with roasters have the agency to exercise their bargaining power mutually.

Juan Pablo runs an agroforestry hub which teaches farmers to produce and use bio-fertilizers that is appropriate for their respective farms. Juan dares farmers to produce their coffees organically by doing so himself. He facilitates agroforestry workshops by bringing experts to Genova and with them the know-hows to his community. Farmers sell their coffee without much hesitation to Juan Pablo because they get a high price than local market and through This Side Up have found a stable, returning market each year.

A few farmers like Marcel are now experimenting with growing native, resilient varieties which could be a good alternative in combatting climate change. Other farmers are interested to experiment with processing, fermentation methods which could add more value to their coffee and help them get a higher income. Collaboratively with Juan Pablo, the farmers are investing in education themselves regarding the market, it’s demands and expectations. In the coming year, Juan Pablo hopes to facilitate another workshop on fermentation with an expert, invite the entire community to benefit from it. Through these kind of stable contracts, farmers have the guarantee of sales and are able to invest long term in their farms.

Capricornio Coffees is an exporter that works closely with farmers in Brazil by offering them agronomical support to help them develop the best quality every season. This creates the upward cycle of better quality which influences the market to pay better prices and foster quality investments back on the farm. Through their “Four Seasons” program, they offer technical assistance which also includes behavioral changes of the farmers. It is a first step to help farmers move from producing commodity to specialty coffee. This program supports the farmers during harvesting and post harvesting activities, but as the name says: it supports in all the four seasons.

Moving from commodity to better paying and “pride enticing” specialty coffee, farmers gain headspace to care about the well being of the earth and community whilst producing their coffees. They move out of a “survival state”. Capricornio also works in a number of social projects locally to empower certain groups that are often vulnerable to climate change. Women in Coffee (WIC) is one such project that is also supported by This Side Up. Women from 69 small farms in Brazil are empowered by Capricornio through knowledge, know-hows and market connections to produce high quality coffees which could be recurringly commercialized. This Side Up has been working with WIC to also help them find direct roaster relationships so they can be provided with recurring contracts. Zwart’s Coffee, the roaster of the Radboud blend, is one of such partners.

Capricornio’s key focus area also lies in regenerative agriculture. They have been developing regenerative solutions towards combatting against pests like borer which is a common issue regarding plant health. The Brazilian coffees in the Radboud blend also consist of coffees from the women cooperative thus offering them a chance to be part of a recurring contract when the said volume is available. The Radboud blend typically consists of about 30% Brazilian arabicas.

ETHIOPIA

Bawari Sultan Gidhey, a prominent figure in the Galeh community of Ethiopia, has become a symbol of resilience and innovation in the coffee industry. With a family legacy spanning three generations in coffee cultivation, the Sultan family has long aspired to create coffee with commercial value. However, limited resources, infrastructure, and technical expertise posed significant challenges.
It wasn’t until our trusted origin partner, Limmu Kossa, brought Bawari into our network that his vision began to take shape. Recognized for their exceptional coffees and community-driven initiatives, Limmu Kossa’s work has consistently identified and uplifted changemakers within their region.Through Limmu Kossa’s support, Bawari Sultan’s estate has gained access to critical resources, including agronomic training and seedlings during the off-season. These interventions have significantly improved both productivity and quality, enabling his coffee to reach international markets. Bawari’s impact extends beyond his own farm. As a respected leader, he has inspired neighboring farmers to enhance their practices, fostering a ripple effect of growth and collaboration within the Galeh community. While his dedication to coffee is deeply rooted in family heritage, it’s through the collective efforts of innovators like Limmu Kossa that his potential has been fully realized. Radboud’s long term commitment to partners like small farmers Bawari is very important since it facilitates economic empowerment through stable contracts.

UGANDA

Zombo Coffee Partners (ZCP) is redefining the coffee landscape in Uganda's Alur Highlands through an innovative, farmer-centric model that emphasizes ownership, sustainability, and economic empowerment. In collaboration with the Agency for Community Empowerment (AFCE), ZCP offers training in climate-smart and regenerative agriculture. Farmers learn to produce biofertilizers and compost manure, enhancing soil health and reducing reliance on chemical inputs . These practices not only improve coffee quality but also promote environmental sustainability.At the heart of ZCP's approach are 15 microstations—small-scale, farmer-owned coffee processing facilities. These microstations are built and operated by local farmer groups, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility. Each microstation is managed by an elected committee and staffed through a combination of voluntary and paid labor, ensuring that operations are deeply rooted in the community .The microstation model has led to tangible improvements in farmers' livelihoods. Beyond increased income, farmers have gained skills in financial management, quality control, and cooperative governance. Some have used their earnings to invest in housing, education, and small businesses, contributing to broader community development .

ZCP's model exemplifies how empowering farmers through ownership, fair compensation, and sustainable practices can transform agricultural communities. By prioritizing transparency and collaboration, ZCP is not only producing high-quality coffee but also cultivating resilience and prosperity among smallholder farmers in Uganda.

ORIGIN TRIP 2025