Starbucks reaches out to coffee farmers with Rwanda Blue Bourbon Coffee

The unique Black Apron Exclusives will help sustain coffee communities around the world through Starbucks awards to farmers for each BAE coffee produced.

The production and sale of this high-quality unique specialty coffee will significantly help Rwanda's economy, and enable Rwandan farmers to improve their homes, afford medical care and provide educational opportunities for their children, through these Starbucks awards.

With its high elevation, traditional Arabica Bourbon trees, rich soil and good rainfall, Rwanda is ideal for growing high-quality coffee.

Rwanda is a land where 90% of the people work one-acre plots for subsistence; its coffee is grown by smallholders - farmers with about 175 trees per farm.

This rare coffee is grown between Lake Kivu and the Nyungwe Forest in the south west of the country, in central Africa.

"Starbucks first visited Rwanda in 2004 to sample coffees and assess Rwanda's potential as a coffee supplier to its growing global network of stores. Within two years we were able to sell our first coffee grown in the country, and here we are with this special coffee offered to our customers in the Middle East," said Antoun Abou Jaoude, Marketing Manager of Starbucks Middle East & Egypt. "Rwanda's future grows brighter with each harvest of specialty coffee, which accounts for seven per cent of the country's total coffee exports. Therefore this new rare and exotic coffee is not only a great cup - it is the source of hope for a brighter future for Rwanda."

Rwanda Blue Bourbon has a subtle acidity and an herbal, spicy complexity not typically found in the coffees of East Africa. "Blue" refers to the blue-green colour of the unroasted coffee cherries produced at the washing stations while "Bourbon" refers to the Bourbon variety of the Arabica species.

An additional Rwandan coffee will also be introduced across Starbucks stores in the region; Starbucks Rwanda Blend, a high-quality, medium-bodied blend originating from Kayco Mountain.

Harvested by farmers working toward economic stability, these premium beans feature subtle wisps of acidity balancing distinct floral and herbal notes in this single origin blend.

As well as experiencing the best coffees Rwanda could offer, Starbucks customers will also have the opportunity of exploring the region that represents the prehistoric origins of coffee with two additional selected Starbucks blends from Africa. One is the Starbucks Africa Kitamu.

In Swahili, "Kitamu" means "delicious beyond description". The flavours of this alluring blend exude the exotic citrus essences and floral notes intrinsic to the very best African coffees.

The second is the Starbucks Ethiopia Sidamo® coffee.

Highly prized by coffee buyers from around the globe, Ethiopia Sidamo offers a bold, bright start to your morning, with a soft finish that will carry you calmly into the day.

Like the best of Sidamo coffees, it features a hint of crisp lemon with a pleasant, yet fleeting, floral aroma.

It pairs well with lemon-flavoured foods such as lemon cake.

"As we launch our first BAE coffee from Rwanda in the Middle East and our new coffee blends from East Africa, we should be celebrating not only their flavours, but also the promising future they help bring its people," added Abou Jaoude.

These remarkable African coffees exemplify the beauty of the continent with unique floral aromas and distinct citrus notes.

From the mountainous Eastern regions, theses tastes of Africa offer a temporary escape to the exotic splendour of the African continent in the comfort of Starbucks customers' homes this summer.