Nestlé Nespresso has announced the roll out of its first coffee to be exported from South Sudan, which has in recent years been subject to political upheaval.
Called SULUJA ti SOUTH SUDAN, it is claimed to be a rare and unique coffee, and will be the country's first significant non-oil export.
This move is seen as major step towards rebuilding the country's economy.
Combining coffee expertise and sustainability innovation, this coffee is a reflection of Nespresso's 'Creating Shared Value' approach to business, as well as its commitment to coffee farmers in the country, claimed Nestlé Nespresso.
Although South Sudan has been cultivating coffee for a long time, the coffee industry has been mostly destroyed due to conflict. Since 2011, Nespresso and TechnoServe, a non-profit organisation, have been working to revitalise quality coffee production in the country.
Nespresso has already invested over $722,558 in revitalising the coffee industry in the Yei region of the country and intends to invest another $2.5m over the next few years and to extend the programme with the inclusion of several thousand farmers by 2020.
SULUJA ti SOUTH SUDAN will be available in limited volumes by October in France.
Nespresso CEO Jean-Marc Duvoisin said: "Nespresso's goal is to source the highest quality coffee in the world. We believe that the only way to continue to deliver quality and consistency to customers is to protect the supply of our coffees. And our experience has shown us that the best way to do this is to build a more environmentally sustainable and financially equitable outcome for farmers.
"SULUJA ti SOUTH SUDAN is an exceptional coffee, and we are very proud of the positive impact this project is having on farmers and their families. Together with the coffee farmers in Yei and TechnoServe we are excited about the potential of this project for economic growth in the region."
