OUR STORY
A family’s journey that led to the world of coffee.
THE BEGINNING
3 African Sisters began with a family searching for safety, meaning, and a new beginning. After surviving a violent attack in their home in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2008, they left everything behind, choosing to start again in Rwanda. Subconsciously, perhaps, they found healing in the Land of a Thousand Hills, a country also rising from its own painful past. Marc was no stranger to Rwanda. Back in 1996, with his friend and business partner, he had the courage and vision to build the first Gorilla Hotel in Kigali. Thirteen years later, in 2009, he purchased the defunct Rwandex coffee factory on the shores of Lake Kivu, planting the first seed for what would become a journey into coffee, purpose, and legacy.
PLANTING SEEDS
With the eyes of explorers, Marc and Tanya saw potential in their new home. Rwanda was naturally rich in high-quality coffee, yet still lacked a developed coffee culture. Their journey began with exporting 100% Arabica specialty coffee from East Africa.
As lifelong entrepreneurs, they were driven to build something more, not just a business, but a brand rooted in meaning. In March 2015, 3 African Sisters was born. Created as a symbol of hope and connection, it was built on an ethos of transparency, traceability, and accountability.
A NEW LEAF
They set out to build a brand narrative inspired by the coffee, the women, the farmers, and the land itself, a story they felt needed to be told.Their coffee would reflect the way they saw Rwanda: a rising star, moving forward with strength and resilience. For Marc and Tanya, it had to represent what they stand for, respect, hard work, and a commitment to excellence.
Tanya says, “For us, our coffee needed to express the heart, soul, and determination of the Rwandese people. We chose happy faces as our brand identity in tribute to the women who, we believe, have been instrumental in transforming Rwanda’s image, from one of hate to one of hope and forgiveness.”
FAR AND BEYOND
With each new coffee season, 3AfricanSisters has continued to grow. They began by roasting on a Diedrich IR12 in the heart of Kigali, serving both the local community and curious travellers, and have since expanded their range to showcase Africa’s finest coffees.
Tanya says, “We proudly craft coffee that highlights exotic, fruity, floral flavours, linking you to the fertile lands where Africa’s finest beans are grown. For us, excellence in coffee isn’t a destination - it’s a continuous journey.”
3 AFRICAN SISTERS
In many African cultures, extended families are seen as sisters and brothers - connected by more than just blood. This belief inspired the name 3 African Sisters, born from the shared history of Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bound by culture and lineage, these neighbouring countries now grow coffees as distinct as the people who live there.
Across borders and generations, Rwandese families often have sisters in neighbouring countries. Like them, the specialty green coffees grown in each of these origins have developed their own character - shaped by land, time, and resilience, with distinctive aromas and flavours that reflect the richness of the region.
It’s a connection we honour in our Inkuru y’Inkomoko -the story of our beginning. Every bag we craft is a tribute to that bond, expressing transparency, traceability, and the vibrant spirit of Africa. This is more than coffee. It’s our story in every cup.
