LOW CAF SOUTH SUDAN Equatoria

This Low Caf Excelsa is indigenous to South Sudan, confirmed through genetic testing by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Producer: Equatoria Coffee

Species: Excelsa 

Process: Honey + Anaerobic Fermentation

Region: Nzara, Western Equatoria

Elevation: 600m

Harvest: April 2025

Caffeine Level: 0.73% (green coffee)

Coffee production in South Sudan was largely wiped out by the Second Sudanese Civil War in the 1980s. Equatoria Coffee began replanting in 2018 - introducing coffee as a faster-maturing income stream alongside their long-term teak operation, which takes 25 years to reach harvest against coffee's three. The company now runs an 82-hectare plantation in Nzara County alongside a washing station and dry mill, and works with approximately 1,500 smallholder farmers across the region - supplying seedlings, training and direct access to international buyers. Farmers receive a base price for their coffee, topped up with further profit once it's sold.

The Excelsa grown here is indigenous to South Sudan - a fact confirmed through genetic testing by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which also identified high genetic diversity in the variety. It's a hardy, disease-resistant species, well suited to the region's unpredictable rainfall, and distinct enough from arabica that it brings an entirely different character to the cup.

This lot is processed as an anaerobic honey - whole cherries are fermented in sealed tanks for 48–64 hours before being pulped and dried. This Excelsa has a character all of its own, smooth and mellow, low on acidity, with nutty sweetness and an unusual complexity that speaks to its wild, indigenous origins.

Brewing Tip

We find Excelsa can benefit from a little more rest than most coffees - around two weeks after the roast date is the best time to start brewing.