Next: Mike Mwenedata, founder of Rwanda Bean Co., is a coffee entrepreneur with a cause
File photo / Jim Neuger
Mike Mwenedata, founder and CEO of Rwanda Bean Co., at Cape Whoopies in South Portland.
Rwanda native Mike Mwenedata founded Rwanda Bean Co. in 2013 as a mission-driven enterprise giving back half of its profits to coffee growers in the country of his birth. Mwenedata, who earned an MBA from the University of Southern Maine and speaks five languages, has made a strong mark in Portland ever since, recently expanding to Thompson’s Point with a roasting and brewing facility to add to Rwanda Bean’s growing retail presence and wholesale operations.
Mainebiz: What prompted you to expand to Thompson’s Point?
Mike Mwenedata: Thompson’s Point is emerging as Portland’s great new neighborhood for arts, culture, food and drink and entertainment, for people of all ages and all backgrounds. It is the perfect spot for Rwanda Bean to continue its growth, and we are truly excited to be part of the amazing community of businesses at the Point.
MB: How did you come to supply the new Canopy by Hilton Portland Waterfront hotel, and how are your wholesale operations doing these days?
MM: I wasn’t involved in the process to supply the new Canopy by Hilton hotel, since during the whole process I was in Rwanda. Our wholesale operations are growing, especially since we relocated our roasting operations to Thompson’s Point, which gives us more flexibility in our operations.
MB: What can you share about the farmers in Rwanda you support financially, and how they are putting the money to use?
MM: Despite the challenges, we have been fortunate to pay health care for 1,200 coffee farmers and their families. We also finished constructing a preschool that will support 200 kids for one of the coffee communities that we work with. Now we’re focusing on furnishing the school and essential needs such as books and other school materials.
MB: What sparked the idea for Rwanda Bean coffee subscription sales?
MM: Rwanda Bean coffee subscription sales were sparked by the love I have for my communities and customers. The pandemic brought many changes, including closing stores and shops. At Rwanda Bean, we started thinking about how we can keep our community caffeinated while at the same time how we can keep our company going as much as we can. We had to be creative, and that’s how subscription sales came to life. It is going well and growing slowly, but we are happy and grateful with the support from our community near and far.
MB: What’s next for Rwanda Bean, and any more locations in the longer term?
MM: What’s next for Rwanda Bean is to keep strengthening our relationships to our coffee source [farmers] and our customers’ communities by creating a company that provides an authentic cup of coffee full of hope and love. I don’t think we will be opening another location anytime soon. Right now our focus is to make sure we can make what we have self-sustainable here in the United States and Rwanda.
MB: To what extent is Portland now “home” for you, or at least your second home?
MM: This city gave me what I have today, so Portland will always be my home. I love this city and its communities, and I look forward to continuing to grow with it.
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