Kinmuga Papua New Guinea

Origin: Kinmuga, South Waghi Valley, Jiwaka Province, Papua New Guinea
Producers: Smallholder farmers delivering to Kindeng Wet Mill
Process: Washed
Varieties: Typica, Bourbon, Arusha, Blue Mountain

Kinmuga coffee comes from a network of family-owned gardens spread throughout the South Waghi Valley in Papua New Guinea’s Western Highlands. Coffee here is not grown on large estates, but in small plots surrounding homes, often interplanted with bananas, sweet potato, and shade trees. Farmers selectively handpick ripe cherries and deliver them the same day to the Kindeng wet mill, where careful processing preserves the clarity of the high-altitude fruit.

The Kinmuga project was developed to give these isolated producers reliable market access and stable pricing. By centralizing processing while keeping cultivation small-scale, the program maintains traditional farming practices while improving consistency and quality.

Producers use minimal chemical inputs and rely on natural composting, shade management, and crop diversity to maintain soil health. The surrounding forests remain largely intact, supporting biodiversity and protecting watershed resources for the surrounding communities.

At the mill, cherries are pulped, fermented in clean water channels, washed, and slowly dried on raised beds. This attention to detail produces a balanced, approachable cup — structured, sweet, and versatile — reflecting both the region’s volcanic soils and the careful work of the families who grow it.