Congo Coffee Atlas

Congo Coffee Atlas / Registry / Virunga Coffee Company

Washing stations & exporter — North & South Kivu

Virunga Coffee Company coffee origin trail

Virunga Coffee Company was established in 2011 by Schluter SA — now Olam Specialty Coffee Europe — operating coffee washing stations across North and South Kivu on the edge of Virunga National Park.

Documented trail

  1. 1

    Region

    North & South Kivu — multiple washing stations[19]

  2. 2

    Producer

    Virunga Coffee Company (washing stations)[19]

  3. 3

    Exporter / trader

    Olam Specialty Coffee Europe (operator, formerly Schluter SA); Covoya Coffee (Olam's wholesale desk)[19][20]

  4. 4

    Destination

    Olam Americas Inc./LLC — confirmed by US customs bill-of-lading records[21]

sources disagree The number of washing stations is reported two ways over time: company materials from 2011–2018 describe 7 stations in North and South Kivu; product listings published in 2023–2026 describe "one of 9 washing stations belonging to Virunga Coffee Company," consistent with continued expansion rather than a contradiction.[19]

Frequently asked

What is the Virunga Coffee Company?

A network of coffee washing stations across North and South Kivu, established in 2011 by Schluter SA (now Olam Specialty Coffee Europe) to buy, process and export DRC coffee.[19]

Who operates Virunga Coffee Company's washing stations?

Olam Specialty Coffee Europe (formerly Schluter SA); Covoya Coffee handles wholesale distribution.[19][20]

Where does Virunga Coffee Company's coffee ship to?

US customs bill-of-lading records (via Panjiva) show Virunga Coffee Sprl in Goma consigning green coffee to Olam Americas Inc./LLC, with cargo routed through the port of Mombasa.[21]

Does Virunga Coffee Company pay farmers a premium?

Company materials describe a documented 2018 example: a bonus of 100 Congolese francs per kg of red cherry in the Isale region (North Kivu) — about a 16.6% increase over the local market price at the time — and an organic partnership with over 2,300 smallholder farmers.[19]

How much of the DRC's coffee exports does Virunga Coffee Company account for?

STiR Coffee and Tea Magazine reported in June 2025 that Olam International's Virunga Coffee was the largest coffee exporter in the DRC, with more than 54% of the country's export market — this is Virunga's own reported share, not a country-wide or per-cooperative average. The same STiR article separately names SCAK, a different North Kivu exporter, at just over 21%; SCAK is not otherwise documented on this registry and is not listed as a row here.[57]

Know more about Virunga Coffee Company?

If you work with Virunga Coffee Company — or want to hear when this page gets a verifiable update — leave your email below.

We use this to tell you about new lot records, or to follow up if you're a cooperative, exporter, importer or roaster who wants to be listed.

Sources on this page

  1. [19] Virunga Coffee Company DR Congo — Covoya Coffee
  2. [20] DR Congo Wholesale Coffee — Kivu Kavisa Station — Covoya Coffee (Olam)
  3. [21] Virunga Coffee Sprl — Supplier Report (shipping records) — Panjiva
  4. [57] DRC Coffee Exports Decline Despite Production and Cultivation Increase — STiR Coffee and Tea Magazine

← Back to the full Congo Coffee Atlas registry