Imvelo Coffee · Lusaka
Zambian coffee, from home.
An introduction to Zambian coffee: the Kasama origin, what our coffee tastes like, how we roast it in Lusaka and where to find your next bag.
Updated
What is Zambian coffee?
Zambian coffee is coffee grown in Zambia, including the northern highlands around Kasama. At Imvelo, Zambia is our home origin: selected for its cup, brought to Lusaka and roasted after you order. Our medium-roast profile brings together milk chocolate, caramel and orange.
Origin gives you a starting point. The particular lot, processing, roast and brewing method all shape what ends up in your cup.
Where does the coffee grow?
Kasama and the northern coffee-growing region are central to Zambia’s coffee story. Estate production is part of that story: Kateshi, Ngoli and Isanya are documented coffee estates. We describe each coffee by its actual sourcing information, rather than describing every Zambian lot as smallholder-grown.
Our master roaster makes regular collection trips to Kasama. The green coffee travels to Lusaka, where it waits for your order before roasting.
Background: IFC’s historical estate record and ofi’s African coffee sourcing overview. These explain the origin; a particular lot’s provenance belongs on its product page.
What does it taste like?
- A lighter roast
- Imvelo’s roast model suggests green apple, jasmine and lemon zest, with more emphasis on brightness.
- A medium roast
- Milk chocolate, caramel and orange: our familiar starting point for the home origin.
- A darker roast
- Dark chocolate, molasses and toasted almond, with greater roast character.
These are flavour descriptions, not added ingredients or a guaranteed result in every brew. Roast Lab profiles are guidance, not laboratory measurements or CVA scores.
How do we describe quality?
All the coffees in our range are specialty grade. We lead with the things you can use to choose: provenance, processing, flavour, body and the roast you enjoy.
The Specialty Coffee Association’s Coffee Value Assessment separates physical, descriptive, affective and extrinsic information. When a lot has a recorded CVA assessment, its product page can show that assessment and its date. A CVA result describes the assessed lot and is shown with its assessment date.
How should I brew it?
Start with your usual recipe and change one thing at a time. For filter coffee, try 15 g of coffee to 250 g of water as a starting ratio. A French press brings the body forward; paper filtration makes it easier to notice clarity. For espresso, adjust grind and extraction to suit the roast and your machine.
If a cup tastes sharp, try a finer grind or a little more extraction. If it tastes dry and harsh, try a coarser grind or a little less extraction. Let your own cup guide the next brew.
Where can I buy Zambian coffee?
Buy directly from Imvelo Coffee, roasted to order in Lusaka. Choose the available bag size and format on the product page, or build a blend around Zambia in the Roast Lab.
Shop Zambia Single Origin CoffeeFrom Africa Journal.
Field notes, coffee history and stories from the house.
- Imvelo Joined the Specialty Coffee Association Today. Here Is the Argument We Intend to Make Inside It.
- Africa's Most Famous Coffee Moment Is a Sunrise Game-Drive Stop. Ask What's in the Flask.
- Coffee in the Miombo: What the Woodland Does for the Cup, and What "Imvelo Means Nature" Is For
- "Low Acid Coffee" Is Mostly a Marketing Term. Here Is What Your Stomach Actually Reacts To