Sundogs (aka mocksuns or parhelia!) are concentrated patches of sunlight that form alongside the sun. They appear only in rare conditions when the weather is optimized for this phenomenon and light refracts through ice crystals in the clouds. We’re inspired by this imagery as a model for how we’ve chosen to collaborate with Baho Coffee and work in Rwanda. The atmosphere aligned perfectly - connecting during the early stages of Baho, building an immediate foundation of trust with each other, and now being collectively positioned at the forefront of Rwanda emerging onto the global specialty coffee radar. Through Baho’s energetic light and the unique arrangement of these conditions, we were able to materialize as sundogs. Though we’ll always remain minor in comparison to the sun - Baho Coffee and the producer groups they work closely with - we’ve made it our mission to thrive in the role of completing this vision and providing continuous side-by-side support. 

Early in our relationship, Emmanuel described at length how coffee talks. He spoke on the importance of relationships, community building, and the underdog - those without access to the specialty market, smallholder farmers worldwide, and Rwanda coffee as a whole. He asked us to join in his movement, share Baho with the world, share Rwanda with the world, and the coffee would speak for itself. How could we say no?

Our importing journey began in 2019, after a year of these philosophical conversations with Emmanuel. We uncovered shared idealistic visions of how coffee should move around the globe.  Beyond the agreement that higher prices must be paid, we dreamt of increased trust and risk sharing from coffee buyers, traceability beyond the washing station level, equitable profit distribution down the supply chain, and shared commitments towards increasing quality of life for all. 

Sundog Trading is a project born of these shared passions and goals. Our aim is to serve as a transparent link in the chain - purchasing coffee from our friends in Rwanda and selling coffee to our friends in the United States. We’re a platform intentionally built to amplify the voices of those we work with; specifically, the Rusatira Family, Baho Coffee, and the coffee growers that deliver to Baho-owned stations. By presenting information honestly and communicating openly, we strive to establish symbiotic relationships throughout our supply stream. By doing more listening and learning instead of pressuring and exploiting, we plan to grow slowly together and play our small part in rejecting the traditional extractive coffee buying model.