Kinmuga

Origin Story

Waghi Valley, Papua New Guinea

Kinmuga comes from a network of smallholder farmers in the southern Waghi Valley of Papua New Guinea, an area locals call the "food bowl of PNG" for its fertile volcanic soil and long agricultural history. Nestled at 1,730 meters above sea level at the foot of an extinct volcano, the valley is continually fed by nutrient-rich deposits carried down by the Wara Tuman River. Farmers deliver ripe cherries to the Kindeng wet mill, where they are pulped, fermented, and processed into parchment before heading to the Kagamuga dry mill in Hagen for final preparation. Since 2018, Kindeng has operated an environmentally friendly wastewater digester, protecting the rivers and soil that make this coffee possible. Our sourcing partner, Benchmark Coffee Traders, is deeply committed to the coffee-growing communities across PNG. Over the last six years, they have funded textbooks for five elementary schools, and in 2023, in partnership with Deeper Roots, opened a new school serving 88 children. They have also installed seven water tanks across the Highlands, where clean, reliable water is not a given and there is no piping system. Last March, Benchmark partnered with QueenPads to fund and distribute reusable hygienic products to 580 women, along with menstrual health education. Every bag of Kinmuga helps power that work: education, clean water, and health for the communities behind the cup.