CAMEROON MOUNT OKU COFFEE

The Northwest Farmers Cooperative Union is made up of 12 affiliated unions encompassing 35,000 small farm holders located in the Northwest region of Cameroon.  Farming is carried out in and around soils that are rich in volcanic sediments which are ideal and very fertile soils for coffee cultivation.  Farming is done on an average farm size of 1 hectare managed by an average family size of 7 people.  The coffee is inter-planted with kola nut crops which stand taller than coffee trees and provide shade to the coffee cherries allowing it to ripen more slowly ensuring a more complex, distinctive and delicious flavor.  The shade also provides protection from the scorching tropical sun as well as protection to the natural ecosystem by providing nutrients to the coffee plants and surrounding soil.  In addition, the Kola nut is an important delicacy to the people of the region and a famous Cameroonian saying goes, “he who brings kola, brings life”, so the presence of the kola nut tree brings life to the coffee beans.   This coffee has a cupping rate of 80+.