Counter Culture started looking for potential partnerships in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2013, with those first few years producing mixed results. Finding the right combination of quality, logistical coordination, sustainability goals, and motivated producing partners can be difficult in any supply chain. In the DRC, this task is daunting. After tasting promising samples from the Muungano cooperative, we decided to focus on this group beginning with their 2017 harvest. Counter Culture purchased a moisture meter for Muungano, made visits during harvests, and committed to purchasing coffee from Buchiro washing station—one of five owned by the cooperative.
During our visits, we were impressed with the dedication and leadership of Muungano’s general manager, Daniel Habamungu. Daniel, along with quality manager Ismael Lipanda, work to ensure the coffees set aside for Counter Culture meet our physical and sensory quality standards. Each year, the co-op has delivered lots exceeding those standards—no small task, considering the resources available to the group.
In recent years, the cooperative has received multiple Seeds grants, submitting a diverse and creative range of proposals. In 2020, they distributed over 50,000 coffee plants and 10,000 Grevillea shade trees to members across the region. They have also received funds for a literacy program focused on youth and women, as well as a grant to purchase sewing machines and to provide tailoring training, creating small businesses in more isolated communities that make, repair, and sell clothing for community members. Muungano’s communication and execution surrounding these projects has been excellent, and we can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
