Counter Culture has been engaged with Rwanda’s specialty coffee industry since its beginning in the early 2000s. A USAID development project called Partnership for Enhancing Agriculture in Rwanda through Linkages (otherwise known as PEARL) transformed Rwanda’s coffee sector through investment at every level of coffee production. Counter Culture staff and other coffee industry professionals made frequent trips to the region—sometimes three or four a year—to mentor and train a new generation of Rwandan coffee professionals. During this time, we met Gilbert Gatali, who managed a farmer-owned exporting company working closely with PEARL. Gilbert connected us with producers and helped us better understand and navigate this new market. Though our business paths eventually diverged, we always stayed in touch—hoping we could work together when the time was right.
Over a decade later, and after a stint away from the coffee business altogether, Gilbert returned with a vision to enhance the quality and community aspects of coffee production in Rwanda. He purchased a washing station originally constructed through the PEARL project in western Rwanda, and renamed it Intango. Coincidentally, Counter Culture had bought coffee from this washing station in the past, then called Musenyi. Under his leadership, Intango has become known for its commitment to quality over quantity and its efforts to foster a unique sense of community amongst the staff and coffee producers.
In 2018, the Intango washing station began operations with a focus on upgrading facilities and training staff to produce exceptional coffees. In the summer of that same year, they participated in one of our climate change adaptation workshops, held locally in Rwanda. Later, in 2020, Intango received a Seeds grant for agronomy training and plant nursery for producers. Gilbert and his team are currently focused on developing profit-sharing and social impact programs tailored to the needs of producers. While there are many privately owned washing stations across the country, the level of collaboration between Intango’s staff and the producers delivering coffee is noteworthy and something we’re proud to support.
