Last week we took a snapshot of Ethiopia & its coffee industry. This week we go a little further south of Ethiopia to take a look at Tanzania & its ever-evolving coffee industry.

Tanzania is an incredibly beautiful country. From the plains of the Serengeti to the shores of Lake Victoria across to Mt Kilamanjaro & down the white uninhabited beaches that stretch endlessly along its coastline, this country has about everything you could want. It’s hard for a Zimbabwean to admit there is a country in Africa that is more beautiful than Zimbabwe itself but I would be lying if I didn’t concede the “Most Beautiful Country in Africa” award to Tanzania.

Lat year we had the pleasure of entertaining the Ambassador of Tanzania in the US – Andrew Daraja – at the Safari Cup. He’s a cool guy with a very positive approach to his country. He also enjoyed the Tanzanian dish Sharon made for our lunch that day – Makande. It’s a dish with beans, onions & sweet corn.

Tanzania produces just under 50,000 tonnes of coffee beans annually offering employment to 400,000 smallholders. This is less than 1% of world output. Most Tanzanian Arabica coffees are grown near the border of Kenya on or around Mt. Kilimanjaro & Arusha. Much like the countries’ overall transition from a failed socialist state towards a full democratic society, the coffee industry has been through significant changes since the early 1990’s.

Tanzania Peabody – the main varietal found in the US – can hold its own against any coffee in the world. Again, we are blessed with a roaster who can draw out the potential of this coffee bean without over-roasting it. Tanzanian coffees are characterized by a winy acidity, medium to full body, and deep richness. Peaberries are often separated from flat beans and sold at a premium for the enhanced flavour characteristics they possess.

Next week we’ll have a look at Kenya & their well-developed coffee industry.