{"id":70493,"date":"2025-06-10T16:44:33","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T15:44:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stories.starbucks.com\/emea\/?p=70493"},"modified":"2025-06-18T13:34:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T12:34:13","slug":"journey-to-origin-coffee-lessons-from-rwanda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.starbucks.com\/emea\/stories\/2025\/journey-to-origin-coffee-lessons-from-rwanda\/","title":{"rendered":"Journey to Origin \u2013 Coffee lessons from Rwanda"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"sbx-page-header-featured alignfull has-large-flow-space requires-no-top-page-spacing\">\n\t<div class=\"sbx-page-header-featured__inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"sbx-page-header-featured__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sbx-page-header-featured__top-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/stories.starbucks.com\/emea\/stories\/category\/behind-the-green-apron\/\" class=\"sbux-pill\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Behind the Green Apron<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<h1\t\t\t\tclass=\"sbx-page-header-featured__title is-style-display-sm\"\n\t\t\t\titemprop=\"headline\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\tJourney to Origin \u2013 Coffee lessons from Rwanda\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sbx-page-header-featured__bottom-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sbux-meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sbux-meta__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\titemprop=\"datePublished\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdatetime=\"2025-06-10T16:44:33+01:00\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJune 10, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/time>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sbx-page-header-featured__media\"\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"--x: 0.5; --y: 0.5\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_40_02.Still028.png\" class=\"sbx-page-header-featured__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" itemprop=\"image\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 300px, (max-width: 586px) 480px, (max-width: 864px) 768px, 1280px\" loading=\"eager\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_40_02.Still028.png 1920w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_40_02.Still028-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_40_02.Still028-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_40_02.Still028-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_40_02.Still028-1536x864.png 1536w, 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8.6v1.48H6.87v3.44H9.2Z\"\n\t\tfill=\"currentColor\"\n\t\/>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/span>\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__label visually-hidden\">Share this post on Facebook<\/span>\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__backdrop\"><\/span>\n<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\n\t\t\t<li class=\"sbux-share-post__item\">\n\t\t\t<a\tclass=\"sbux-icon-button sbux-site-header__action\"\n\ttarget=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.net\/intent\/post?text=The first thing Ben Hobby-Osman noticed as he stepped off the plane in Kigali, Rwanda was someone wearing a t-shirt that read: Coffee Did This. \u201cFor the next three days, I couldn\u2019t stop thinking about that t-shirt,\u201d Ben recalls, \u201ceverything I saw \u2013 the lush greenery of the farms, the warmth and genuine passion of [&hellip;]&amp;url=https:\/\/stories.starbucks.com\/emea\/stories\/2025\/journey-to-origin-coffee-lessons-from-rwanda\/\">\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__circle\">\n\t\t<span 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t-shirt that read: Coffee Did This. \u201cFor the next three days, I couldn\u2019t stop thinking about that t-shirt,\u201d Ben recalls, \u201ceverything I saw \u2013 the lush greenery of the farms, the warmth and genuine passion of [&hellip;]&amp;title=Journey to Origin \u2013 Coffee lessons from Rwanda&amp;url=https:\/\/stories.starbucks.com\/emea\/stories\/2025\/journey-to-origin-coffee-lessons-from-rwanda\/\">\n\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__circle\">\n\t\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__icon-container\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"sbux-icon-button__icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\taria-hidden=\"true\"\n\tfill=\"none\"\n\tfocusable=\"false\"\n\theight=\"24\"\n\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"\n\twidth=\"24\"\n\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n>\n\t<path\n\t\td=\"M3 5.161a2.162 2.162 0 0 1 4.323 0c0 1.194-.968 2.182-2.162 2.182C3.969 7.343 3 6.355 3 5.161ZM20.995 21H21v-6.602c0-3.23-.695-5.718-4.47-5.718-1.816 0-3.034.996-3.531 1.94h-.053V8.983h-3.58v12.017h3.728v-5.95c0-1.567.297-3.082 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read\t\t<\/time>\n\t<\/li>\n\t\t<li class=\"sbux-post-details__item\">\n\t\t<time\n\t\t\titemprop=\"datePublished\"\n\t\t\tdatetime=\"2025-06-10T16:44:33+01:00\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\tJune 10, 2025\t\t<\/time>\n\t<\/li>\n\t<\/ul>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph\">The first thing <strong>Ben Hobby-Osman<\/strong> noticed as he stepped off the plane in Kigali, Rwanda was someone wearing a t-shirt that read: <em>Coffee Did This<\/em>. \u201cFor the next three days, I couldn\u2019t stop thinking about that t-shirt,\u201d Ben recalls, \u201ceverything I saw \u2013 the lush greenery of the farms, the warmth and genuine passion of the people who tend them, the other partners who had travelled across the world to share this experience with me \u2013 it was all made possible because of coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ben, a Category Specialist, was with Marketing Specialist <strong>Barb Sl\u00e1dkov\u00e1 <\/strong>in Kigali alongside a group of 48 other partners from 21 countries, after being nominated for the Starbucks <a href=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/stories\/2025\/origin-experience-and-beyond-starbucks-partners-on-what-life-changing-trip-to-the-costa-rica-coffee-farm-meant-to-them\/\" class=\"is-external-link\" aria-describedby=\"external-link-description\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Origin Experience<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" height=\"13\" viewBox=\"0 0 13 13\" width=\"13\">\n\t<path d=\"M13 .43v3.9a.43.43 0 1 1-.87 0V1.48l-6.19 6.2a.43.43 0 0 1-.61 0 .43.43 0 0 1 0-.62l6.2-6.2H8.66a.43.43 0 1 1 0-.86h3.9c.24 0 .43.2.43.43ZM11.27 11.7V6.5a.43.43 0 1 0-.87 0v5.2c0 .24-.2.43-.43.43H1.3a.43.43 0 0 1-.43-.43V3.03c0-.24.2-.43.43-.43h5.2a.43.43 0 1 0 0-.87H1.3c-.72 0-1.3.59-1.3 1.3v8.67c0 .72.58 1.3 1.3 1.3h8.67c.71 0 1.3-.58 1.3-1.3Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path>\n<\/svg><\/a>. Together, they followed the journey of a coffee bean through the \u201cfirst 10 feet\u201d of the Starbucks supply chain \u2013 to The Land of a Thousand Hills and the people whose quiet dedication brings your cup of coffee to life.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"1080\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1920 \/ 1080;\" width=\"1920\" controls src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_Origin-Experience_2025_STORY2_16x9_HD_Subtitled-Final.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Day 1: Welcome to the Land of a Thousand Hills<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve brought the British weather with me,\u201d Ben thought when he arrived in an overcast Kigali. But the downpour didn\u2019t dampen their spirits. Donning raincoats, the group set off to Dukunde Kawa Musasa \u2013 one of <a href=\"https:\/\/coffeehunter.com\/our-origins\/rwanda\/\" class=\"is-external-link\" aria-describedby=\"external-link-description\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">nearly half a million<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" height=\"13\" viewBox=\"0 0 13 13\" width=\"13\">\n\t<path d=\"M13 .43v3.9a.43.43 0 1 1-.87 0V1.48l-6.19 6.2a.43.43 0 0 1-.61 0 .43.43 0 0 1 0-.62l6.2-6.2H8.66a.43.43 0 1 1 0-.86h3.9c.24 0 .43.2.43.43ZM11.27 11.7V6.5a.43.43 0 1 0-.87 0v5.2c0 .24-.2.43-.43.43H1.3a.43.43 0 0 1-.43-.43V3.03c0-.24.2-.43.43-.43h5.2a.43.43 0 1 0 0-.87H1.3c-.72 0-1.3.59-1.3 1.3v8.67c0 .72.58 1.3 1.3 1.3h8.67c.71 0 1.3-.58 1.3-1.3Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path>\n<\/svg><\/a> coffee smallholdings scattered across the country. To get there, the partners left the bustling capital, piling into a small bus that carried them through the verdant Rwandan countryside.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_22_07.Still005.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-70529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_22_07.Still005.png 1920w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_22_07.Still005-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_22_07.Still005-1024x576.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Field notes: There\u2019s a reason Rwanda is nicknamed \u201cThe Land of a Thousand Hills\u201d. Averaging around <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.africa.upenn.edu\/NEH\/rwgeography.htm\" class=\"is-external-link\" aria-describedby=\"external-link-description\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>1,900 metres<\/em><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" height=\"13\" viewBox=\"0 0 13 13\" width=\"13\">\n\t<path d=\"M13 .43v3.9a.43.43 0 1 1-.87 0V1.48l-6.19 6.2a.43.43 0 0 1-.61 0 .43.43 0 0 1 0-.62l6.2-6.2H8.66a.43.43 0 1 1 0-.86h3.9c.24 0 .43.2.43.43ZM11.27 11.7V6.5a.43.43 0 1 0-.87 0v5.2c0 .24-.2.43-.43.43H1.3a.43.43 0 0 1-.43-.43V3.03c0-.24.2-.43.43-.43h5.2a.43.43 0 1 0 0-.87H1.3c-.72 0-1.3.59-1.3 1.3v8.67c0 .72.58 1.3 1.3 1.3h8.67c.71 0 1.3-.58 1.3-1.3Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path>\n<\/svg><\/a><em> above sea level, the country is famously mountainous. It is this elevation, along with the rich volcanic soil and temperate climate, that makes it fertile ground for coffee production. <\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_36_19.Still013.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-70525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_36_19.Still013.png 1920w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_36_19.Still013-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_36_19.Still013-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_36_19.Still013-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_36_19.Still013-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_36_19.Still013-1280x720.png 1280w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_36_19.Still013-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_36_19.Still013-320x180.png 320w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_36_19.Still013-160x90.png 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Arriving at the farm, the team were greeted with Rwandan <em>murakaza neza<\/em> \u2013 \u201cwelcome\u201d in Kinyarwanda, the national language of Rwanda \u2013 with song, drums and dance, an atmosphere charged with a sense of purpose and belonging that was infectious. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each partner was handed the small, budding shoot of a soon-to-be coffee tree, which they planted in neat rows along the hillside. It will take the trees around 2-3 years to grow and begin producing fruit. Everyone dedicated their tree to someone special &#8211; colleagues, friends or family back home.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_33_11.Still011.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-70521\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_33_11.Still011.png 1920w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_33_11.Still011-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_33_11.Still011-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_33_11.Still011-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_33_11.Still011-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_33_11.Still011-1280x720.png 1280w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_33_11.Still011-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_33_11.Still011-320x180.png 320w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_33_11.Still011-160x90.png 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Field notes: The growing season in Rwanda begins around September and October, continuing through to harvest season which takes place between March and July. The trees begin as little more than sprouts \u2013 affectionately called \u201cbutterflies\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While cupping a delicate \u201cbutterfly\u201d in her hands, Barb reflected on the cherries that would eventually grow from it, the coffee beans they would become, and where they would end up \u2013 in a Starbucks store, somewhere in the world, years from now. \u201cMost people don\u2019t have the privilege to see this process,\u201d she thought, \u201cwhere it all begins, how many lives are touched at every step of the journey, from bean to cup.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Field notes: What we recognise as a coffee bean is actually the seed from a vivid red, cherry-like fruit. The beans are nestled deep inside, protected by a layer of tough, bitter outer skin and a sweet pulp<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_53_00.Still020.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-70517\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_53_00.Still020.png 1920w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_53_00.Still020-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_53_00.Still020-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_53_00.Still020-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_53_00.Still020-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_53_00.Still020-1280x720.png 1280w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_53_00.Still020-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_53_00.Still020-320x180.png 320w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_00_53_00.Still020-160x90.png 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Day 2: The careful craft of dry milling \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next day begins the way all the best mornings do \u2013 with a cup of coffee. But today the partners\u2019 palates will be put to the test \u2013 they\u2019re visiting a dry mill, where they\u2019re testing the quality of the harvested beans. This is where cherries picked from the farm are transformed into the coffee beans that, once roasted and brewed, eventually end up in your Starbucks cup. It\u2019s also where they\u2019re tasted to check for any defects and ensure they\u2019re up to the Starbucks standard.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY1_CUT_01.00_01_18_05.Still001.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-70509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY1_CUT_01.00_01_18_05.Still001.png 1920w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY1_CUT_01.00_01_18_05.Still001-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY1_CUT_01.00_01_18_05.Still001-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY1_CUT_01.00_01_18_05.Still001-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY1_CUT_01.00_01_18_05.Still001-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY1_CUT_01.00_01_18_05.Still001-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY1_CUT_01.00_01_18_05.Still001-1280x720.png 1280w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY1_CUT_01.00_01_18_05.Still001-320x180.png 320w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY1_CUT_01.00_01_18_05.Still001-160x90.png 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Field notes: The Antestia bug \u2013 also called the variegated coffee bug \u2013 is a plight on coffee farmers\u2019 crops. When the insect burrows into a tree it impacts the flavour of the cherries produced, causing the resulting coffee to have a distinct potato-like taste.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cStarbucks is known for the quality of its coffee, but before seeing the production process for myself, I couldn\u2019t comprehend the rigorous scrutiny each and every bean undergoes,\u201d says Ben, \u201cat the dry mill, I asked how many times the beans are assessed for their quality \u2013 the answer was too many times to count.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_26_22.Still025.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-70505\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_26_22.Still025.png 1920w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_26_22.Still025-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_26_22.Still025-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_26_22.Still025-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_26_22.Still025-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_26_22.Still025-1280x720.png 1280w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_26_22.Still025-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_26_22.Still025-320x180.png 320w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_26_22.Still025-160x90.png 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the beans are up to scratch, they\u2019re packed up and exported to Starbucks roasteries around the world, where they will undergo their final transformation \u2013 becoming either the smooth and flavourful Starbucks Blonde Roast, the balanced and well-rounded Medium Roast, or the rich and bold Dark Roast. Perhaps they\u2019re inside the Starbucks coffee you\u2019re drinking as you read this.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Day 3: Propagating the future<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Field notes: Rwanda has a painful history \u2013 one of turmoil, but also of triumph and hope. After the <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.starbucksreserve.com\/stories\/extraordinary-women-rwanda\" class=\"is-external-link\" aria-describedby=\"external-link-description\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>devastating genocide in the late 1990s<\/em><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" height=\"13\" viewBox=\"0 0 13 13\" width=\"13\">\n\t<path d=\"M13 .43v3.9a.43.43 0 1 1-.87 0V1.48l-6.19 6.2a.43.43 0 0 1-.61 0 .43.43 0 0 1 0-.62l6.2-6.2H8.66a.43.43 0 1 1 0-.86h3.9c.24 0 .43.2.43.43ZM11.27 11.7V6.5a.43.43 0 1 0-.87 0v5.2c0 .24-.2.43-.43.43H1.3a.43.43 0 0 1-.43-.43V3.03c0-.24.2-.43.43-.43h5.2a.43.43 0 1 0 0-.87H1.3c-.72 0-1.3.59-1.3 1.3v8.67c0 .72.58 1.3 1.3 1.3h8.67c.71 0 1.3-.58 1.3-1.3Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path>\n<\/svg><\/a><em>, coffee production \u2013 and the farmers at its heart \u2013 played a critical role in the country\u2019s economic recovery, building a path towards a brighter future.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On their third and final day, Ben and Barb visit the Starbucks Farmer Support Centre \u2013 the first line of defence against bad weather, poor soil and pests.<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCoffee farming really is an art,\u201d Barb explains, \u201cit\u2019s such a long, complex process \u2013 if you plant a tree, you won\u2019t see the fruits of your labour for many years. It takes patience, diligence, and care. There\u2019s so much that can go wrong. And even if you do everything right to nurture your plant into adulthood, the harvest could still be disappointing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To help protect farmers\u2019 livelihoods, Starbucks operates support centres across several coffee-producing countries \u2013 from Costa Rica to Guatemala. They\u2019re home to Starbucks agronomists, who conduct research into soil management, irrigation, and even varietals of disease-resistant trees. \u201cWe don\u2019t keep our knowledge a secret, we share it \u2013 even with farmers who don\u2019t work with Starbucks,\u201d Barb explains, \u201cwe see it as our responsibility to the future of coffee and the people who produce it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_20_05.Still022.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-70501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_20_05.Still022.png 1920w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_20_05.Still022-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_20_05.Still022-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_20_05.Still022-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_20_05.Still022-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_20_05.Still022-1280x720.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Field notes: Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E) Practices are the cornerstone of our approach to buying coffee \u2013 when it launched in 2004, it was one of the industry\u2019s first set of ethical sourcing standards. It helps Starbucks to create a supply chain of high-quality coffee that positively impacts the lives of farmers and their communities.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_01_11.Still017.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-70497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_01_11.Still017.png 1920w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_01_11.Still017-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_01_11.Still017-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_01_11.Still017-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_01_11.Still017-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_01_11.Still017-1280x720.png 1280w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_01_11.Still017-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_01_11.Still017-320x180.png 320w, https:\/\/about.starbucks.com\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2025\/06\/SBUX_RWANDA_2025_STORY2_CUT_03.00_01_01_11.Still017-160x90.png 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Homeward: reflections on the responsibility we share<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Rwandan landscape recedes through the clouds as the plane ascends, carrying Ben and Barb back to the UK. They\u2019re leaving with more than just memories. \u201cIt completely changes your perspective,\u201d Ben muses, \u201cwhen you\u2019ve seen the process up close, you realise coffee isn\u2019t just what\u2019s in the cup \u2013 it\u2019s this remarkable force that sustains so many lives,\u201d Ben says. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCoffee production is this vast, global supply chain, but at every link of that chain is a real person,\u201d Barb agrees, \u201cthis experience reminds us of our responsibility to each other and to the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body>\n\n<body><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The first thing Ben Hobby-Osman noticed as he stepped off the plane in Kigali, Rwanda was someone wearing a t-shirt that read: Coffee Did This. \u201cFor the next three days, I couldn\u2019t stop thinking about that t-shirt,\u201d Ben recalls, \u201ceverything I saw \u2013 the lush greenery of the farms, the warmth and genuine passion of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":773,"featured_media":70513,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"starbucks_cheetahmail_notify_on_publish":false,"starbucks_aep_notified_at":0,"sbux_color_theme":"default","sbux_typography_theme":"default","byline":"","sbux_is_featured":false,"featured_image_focal_point_x":0,"featured_image_focal_point_y":0,"hide_related_posts":false,"downloadable_assets":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2029,2041],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-behind-the-green-apron","category-coffee-craft"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - 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