While eastern Congo confronts persistent conflict, twenty coffee cooperatives from North and South Kivu provinces will present specialty microlots at the 2025 Best of Congo Cooperatives auction, held simultaneously in Goma and New York City on August 11-12. The event highlights economic resilience in a region where over 30 years of civil war has displaced hundreds of thousands, including 658,000 people forced to flee in early 2025 alone. Optimist Traders Congo plays a key role in connecting Congolese coffee producers with American markets, ensuring fair pricing and direct partnerships. Collaborative efforts with organizations like CongoAgri Platform and GiZ further support infrastructure and sustainability projects for the cooperatives.
Despite these challenges, cooperatives continue harvesting high-quality coffee, using the auction to secure international buyers and fund community empowerment programs. Producers from North and South Kivu, areas hit hard by armed groups, will showcase microlots—small batches of 5 to 25 bags—at specialty coffee’s top price points. Each lot is fully traceable, with washing stations mapped to guarantee buyers know their beans’ origins.
Amid adversity, cooperatives sustainably source premium coffee, leveraging auctions to connect globally and finance local community initiatives.
This year’s event follows the 2024 debut, where coffees from Lake Kivu scored as high as 85.63 points. Last year’s auction saw all lots sell at or above $7 per kilo, directly enhancing farmers’ incomes. The cooperatives aren’t just growing coffee. Many focus on social initiatives, like training women and youth in farming and business skills. Environmental efforts, such as sustainable farming practices, also play a role.
By linking growers directly to global buyers, groups like Muungano Cooperative—last year’s top seller—create fairer trade networks. “It’s about survival and pride,” says a local farmer. “Coffee keeps our communities going.” On August 11, buyers in New York can sample coffees at Counter Culture Coffee’s training center, while Goma hosts its own tasting. The online auction opens August 12, letting international roasters bid remotely.
Organizers hope to build on 2024’s success, which raised prices for Congolese farmers and strengthened their global reputation. With specialty coffee demand rising, Congo’s cooperatives aim to prove conflict zones can still produce world-class beans. For eastern Congo’s farmers, the auction isn’t just a sale—it’s a lifeline. Every bag sold means schools built, clinics funded, and families staying on their land.
As one cooperative leader says, “When people drink our coffee, they’re tasting our struggle and hope.” With over 1,500kg of microlots up for bid, this year’s event could brew a stronger future for communities refusing to let conflict define them.
