Our Certifications & Awards

SOPACDI is the only cooperative in Kivu to simultaneously hold 4 international certifications and the first Fairtrade-certified in the DRC.

4 International Certifications

Verified Quality, Ethics and Sustainability

⚖️
Since 2011
Fairtrade FLO

Fairtrade International — 1st Cooperative in DRC

In 2011, SOPACDI became the very first cooperative in the Democratic Republic of Congo to obtain Fairtrade FLO (Fairtrade International) certification. This certification guarantees a minimum price to producers, a community development premium and strict social standards.

  • FLO Certification N° 26275
  • Guaranteed minimum price per tonne
  • Fairtrade premium paid to the cooperative
  • Verified working conditions
  • Full financial transparency
🌿
Since 2012
Agriculture Biologique

Organic — EU, USDA, JAS

Certified organic since 2012, SOPACDI guarantees that no pesticides or chemical fertilisers are used in the plantations. Coffee is grown in agroforestry under forest cover, on naturally fertile volcanic soils between 1,460 and 2,000 metres.

  • Zero pesticide, zero chemical fertiliser
  • Cherry pulp composting
  • Agroforestry under natural shade
  • Annual plot inspection
Since 2015
Utz Certified

Utz Certified — Good Agricultural Practices

Utz certification (now integrated into Rainforest Alliance) verifies good agricultural practices, safe working conditions and workers' rights. It also covers complete traceability, from producer to export.

  • Verified good agricultural practices
  • Traceability from field to export
  • Secure working conditions
  • Ongoing producer training
🤝
Since 2016
SPP — Symbole Petits Producteurs

SPP — Small Producers' Symbol

The SPP (Símbolo de Pequeños Producteurs) is the only certification in the world created and managed by small producer organisations. It goes beyond Fairtrade by requiring enhanced internal democracy and equitable distribution of benefits.

  • Internal democratic governance
  • Equitable benefit distribution
  • Active member participation
  • Peer producer audit
International Awards

Recognised at the Highest Level

🏆
2014
SCAA — Specialty Coffee Association of America

Sustainability Award

First Congolese cooperative to be honoured by the SCAA for its exceptional commitment to social and environmental sustainability. A global recognition of the SOPACDI model.

🌟
2017
SPP — Símbolo de Pequeños Productores

Best Member Organisation of the Year

The global SPP network recognised SOPACDI as best member organisation of the year, praising its inclusive governance model, gender programme and continuous growth.

🚢
2008
Twin Trading — Royaume-Uni

First Container Exported

In 2008, thanks to the partnership with Twin Trading, SOPACDI exported its first container of coffee to the international market — paving the way for all subsequent certifications and exports.

Quality & Traceability

From Field to Cup, Every Step Traced

SOPACDI maintains full traceability of every lot, from the identified producer to the final buyer. Each bag is labelled with the origin station information, processing date and lot number.

Our cupping laboratory in Tsheya evaluates every lot before export. Any lot scoring below 80 SCA points is reprocessed or sold on the local market.

4
Certifications
85+
SCA Score Target
100%
Lot Traceability
35
Field Agronomists
SOPACDI Cupping Session
Evaluation Process
  1. Green coffee arrival at Tsheya station
  2. Visual inspection: colour, size, density
  3. Roasting & cupping evaluation by SCA protocol
  4. Score recorded in traceability system
  5. Approved lots prepared for export Goma → Mombasa
Going International

Our Export Markets

SOPACDI coffee is exported to well-established markets: United Kingdom, France, Belgium, USA, Switzerland and New Zealand.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇫🇷 France
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇺🇸 USA
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇳🇿 New Zealand
☕ Two Preparations

Specialty Arabica washed at our coffee washing stations, and Kivu 4 special preparation, washed by the farmers themselves at home.

📅 Harvest Seasons

Main harvest from March to June, second harvest from September to October. Container loading from May to December.

🏆 Historic Quality

Our coffee is the only one to have reached the highest quality at the national level — Kivu 2 — since 1967 (Source: ONC Goma).

Interested in our certified coffee?

Contact us to discover our range of organic and fair-trade specialty coffees and receive a personalised quote.

Contact Us