When thinking about the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), many people first think of the Congo Basin and its immense biodiversity, but also of three decades of armed conflict and recurring health crises. The Best of Congo Cooperatives initiative tells another side of the story: that of a country capable of producing high-quality coffee and cocoa, driven by women, young people, communities and cooperatives that never stop innovating despite the difficulties.
Best of Congo Cooperatives (BoCC) is a joint initiative by CongoAgri Platform and African Coffee Connect, with support from GIZ. It promotes Congolese coffee and cocoa, improves access to national and international markets, and supports producers and cooperatives in meeting market requirements, including those linked to regulations such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
In doing so, the initiative contributes to socio-economic development in regions where producers face significant challenges, including armed conflict, limited infrastructure and long distances to markets.
BEST OF CONGO COOPERATIVES 2026
In 2026, for the third time, selected agricultural cooperatives from North and South Kivu as well as Ituri came together to showcase the quality and potential of Congolese products.
Through the Best of Congo Cooperatives competition, Congolese coffee and cocoa were presented on the international stage, evaluated by international juries across 4 continents and eventually offered to buyers through an online auction.
Coffee samples from 37 participating cooperatives underwent a tasting and evaluation process involving juries in Goma, DRC; New York, USA; Seoul, South Korea; and London, UK. In total, 45 tasters participated, contributing to a diverse and rigorous international evaluation process. Additionally, the competing coffees were also presented at the World of Coffee Conference in Brussels in June 2026.
Bringing the sector together in Goma
The second phase of the competition culminated in the Congolese Coffee and Cocoa Quality Conference and Competition, held in Goma, DRC from 2-3 July 2026.
The conference brought together Congolese and international actors to discuss strategic topics for the development of the development of the country’s coffee and cocoa value chains.
It culminated in the announcement of the results of the international coffee tasting and evaluation process. Final scores were calculated based on the evaluations of the four juries in Goma, New York, Seoul and London.
With an impressive score of 86.19 points, the winner of the coffee competition was the anaerobic coffee “Izuba”. It’s the DRC’s first experimental anaerobic coffee and was produced by the Yetu Qahwah cooperative and the two Congolese Q graders, Moïse Muhindo and Linda Muguruka.
Anaerobic fermentation is a controlled processing method that allows for the development of distinctive and complex flavours. For Izuba, the experiment resulted in a coffee with notes of caramel and honey and a cognac-like finish, earning the highest score in the competition.
For Linda Muguruka, founder of the Yetu Qahwah cooperative and a Congolese Q Grader, Izuba – meaning “sun” – represents much more than the quality of the coffee itself. Developed at a time when producers in South Kivu were facing conflict, difficulties accessing plantations and disruptions to supply chains, Izuba emerged from a determination to turn adversity into innovation. Rather than allowing these challenges to define the story of Congolese coffee, Yetu Qahwah chose to experiment, innovate and create greater value from the coffee produced by local farmers.
We chose to innovate. To believe that every coffee cherry could bring greater value, more hope and greater dignity to the farmers. […] Izuba has become much more than just a coffee: it has become a symbol of resilience. This first place belongs, above all, to our producers. To all the women and men who continue to believe in their land despite the hardships.
Other coffees also stood out for the stories behind their production. “Mama Kivu”, a coffee produced by women, highlighting the role of women producers in the value chain, while “Batwa”, produced by indigenous coffee growers brought particular visibility to the participation/inclusion of indigenous communities in the Congolese coffee sector.
A historic auction for Congolese coffee
Following the announcement of the competition results, an online auction was launched, allowing buyers to bid directly on coffees participating in the BoCC competition.
When the auction closed on 3rd September 2026, it achieved a historic result:
The winning Izuba coffee reached a record price of USD 55.50 per kilogram – the highest price ever recorded for a coffee from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The weighted average price for the remaining coffees reached USD 15.44 per kilogram.
These results demonstrate the opportunities available to Congolese coffee producers when investments in quality, traceability, promotion and market access come together.
Behind the results are men and women, young people, local communities, producers and cooperatives who continue their business and improve the quality of their products despite difficult circumstances. Best of Congo Cooperatives brings these efforts to the international stage – showing that Congolese coffee and cocoa are not only products with considerable potential but are already finding their place in high-value international markets!
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