Ultimate UK Debut for Rwandan Women-Led Coffee Brands

Caffè Culture London showcases by Women-Led Coffee Businesses from Rwanda

Five Women-Led Coffee Businesses from Rwanda are set to showcase their products at Caffè Culture London. They seek to build commercial relationships with United Kingdom (UK) buyers.

Additionally, the participants aim to expand the presence of Rwandan coffee in the British market and raise awareness among buyers about quality and sustainability.

The businesses’ participation follows the SheTrades Rwanda-UK Peer-to-Peer Study Visit held in March 2026. This event brought together five Rwandan women entrepreneurs in the specialty coffee sector for peer learning and initial European opportunities.

During the visit, these entrepreneurs connected with specialty coffee roasteries, importers, and distributors in London and Birmingham. The aim was to pursue early market engagement and links that could support growth for Women-Led Coffee Businesses.

For Women-Led Coffee Businesses, participation in Caffè Culture represents an opportunity to move beyond market exposure.

Moreover, it lets them present their brands to UK buyers while exploring partnerships that could boost Rwanda’s exports.

For Marie Louise Murakatete, a coffee investor in Gisagara District, the event offers an opportunity to introduce her coffee to buyers.

Moreover, this exposure reaches a market her business has not previously served and could expand her distribution channels.

“The current market I’ve been exporting to, the UK was not among. So now this is an opportunity to go and showcase our coffee to different buyers and different roasters. I believe we are going to have this opportunity to show our coffee from Rwanda and also to be known on the international market,” she said.

Although the participating businesses have experience exporting coffee to other international markets, accessing the UK market has presented challenges, including meeting market requirements and establishing connections with potential buyers.

Support from the UK High Commission has helped the businesses navigate some of these requirements while also strengthening their capacity to market their products to prospective international customers.

Sonia Kamarade, Head of Export at Kalisimbi Kiwieds Coffee / Dallas Investments, said the support has helped address one of the major challenges faced by coffee businesses seeking to expand internationally: marketing.

The High Commission and other stakeholders have helped us do marketing for our coffee.

While you’re processing, it’s very hard to also do marketing.

Additionally, they have taken up that responsibility for us, she said.

The initiative comes as coffee remains an important contributor to Rwanda’s export economy. In 2025, Rwanda’s coffee exports generated about $150 million in export revenues, according to National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB).

The UK is also an established destination for Rwandan coffee. According to Jennifer Stockill, Deputy British High Commissioner to Rwanda, coffee is currently Rwanda’s second-largest export to the UK, after tea, with more than US$5 million worth of coffee exported to the United Kingdom in 2024.

Explaining the focus on women entrepreneurs, Stockill said the initiative was designed to support businesses with the potential to contribute to Rwanda’s economy while highlighting the role of women-led enterprises.

“Coffee is already the second-biggest export from Rwanda to the UK. Tea is number one, but we also love coffee,” Stockill said. “Women are the backbone of who gets things done in Rwanda. There are some really special women-led businesses that have really got a great story to tell and do so much in terms of their business model, and we think it’s a really important sector of the Rwandan economy to support.”

Expanding access to international markets is also aligned with Rwanda’s broader ambitions to increase agricultural exports under the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and the Fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA 5).

The two strategies target an increase in annual agricultural export revenues from about $893 million to $1.54 billion, placing greater emphasis on value addition, market access and the competitiveness of Rwanda’s agricultural products.

The five women entrepreneurs participating in Caffè Culture London are:

• Sonia Kamarade – Kalisimbi Kiwieds Coffee / Dallas Investments
• Ritha Umutoni – RIXU Coffee
• Marie Louise Murakatete – Generalities Ltd
• Immaculée Mukamana – Nyamurinda Coffee
• Michaelle Kubwimana – Kinunu Agroprocessing

The entrepreneurs are scheduled to travel to London for Caffè Culture London on September 29–30, 2026, where they will showcase Rwandan coffee, engage with international buyers and explore opportunities to expand their businesses into the UK market.

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