Congo Coops produce 88 point coffee against the odds in the Best of Congo Cooperatives 2025
Majirane farmers
Following the success of the inaugural 2024 Best of Congo Cooperatives coffee quality competition in London, UK, and Goma DRC, the 2025 Best of Congo Cooperatives (BOCC25) competition and auction took place on August 11-12 in New York City, USA ,and Goma, DRC.
The event was organised by African Coffee Connect together with CongoAgri Platform, in close collaboration with Optimist Coffee Traders and Atlas Coffee Importers. It was hosted in the Counter Culture Coffee’s education space in Brooklyn, a fitting venue for an event celebrating traceable, high-quality specialty coffees.
The competition featured coffees from 20 participating cooperatives that were judged by cupping juries in New York and Goma under the overall supervision of Beth Ann Caspersen from Equal Exchange. Microlots ranged from five 60-kilo bags (300 kilos) to 50 bags (3,000) kilos, with each coffee accompanied by a profile of the cooperative, including the geolocation of the washing station. Majirane Cooperative won the competition with a score of 88.25 SCA points. Multiple coffees surpassed 87 points. See the full cupping results at bestofcongocooperatives.com
The auction, which opened online immediately after the competition, attracted enthusiastic bidding from roasters and importers worldwide. Top-scoring lots ignited spirited competition, pushing bids as high as $8/lb, with a total of 397 bags sold. Buyers praised not only the vibrant, complex flavour profiles—ranging from juicy stone fruits and floral aromatics to sweet, syrupy bodies—but also the stories of the dedicated farmers behind each lot, including the coops’ initiatives focusing on women and youth and environmental issues. This recognition provides meaningful impact on the ground, delivering premiums directly to the cooperatives and catalysing further investment in the region’s coffee sector.
This year’s competition was particularly significant given the escalation in civil conflict affecting cooperatives with the occupation of much of South Kivu by M23 rebel group just as the harvest was getting under way. Producers described the competition as a lifeline. It has given them a much needed opportunity to showcase their coffees to buyers who would not otherwise be able to access them. Indeed for more than half the coops, Best of Congo Cooperatives is the first occasion that their coffee has been exported in their own name. The success of the tasting and auction is a testament to the resilience and drive of the Cooperatives and coffee farmers who succeeded in producing such extraordinary coffees in the most challenging of circumstances.
