Fazenda Kavili was founded by Claude Maeder, a Swiss national born in Angola and deeply attached to the country where he has spent most of his life. For more than forty years, he worked in Angola on major industrial development projects, notably in Luanda and Lobito.

Drawing on this experience, he chose to commit himself to a long-term project in the mountains of Ebanga, in Benguela Province. Through Fazenda Kavili, he is working to restore the land progressively, develop diversified farming guided by respect for the soil, and produce high-altitude specialty Arabica coffee.

The plantation is located near Ganda, between 1,300 and 1,700 metres above sea level. This altitude slows the ripening of the coffee cherries, concentrating the sugars and producing dense, complex beans valued by specialty coffee roasters. The farm’s volcanic soils, cool nights and distinct seasons create conditions comparable to those found in some of the finest Arabica-growing regions of the African highlands.

Claude Maeder has devoted several years to establishing the farm, building relationships with local farming communities and developing the agronomic knowledge required to produce specialty-grade Arabica coffee in Angola. The 2026 season will mark the first commercial harvest. Samples from the 2025 crop have already been sent to specialist Swiss roasters for professional cupping and quality evaluation, with encouraging initial feedback.

Claude Maeder’s dual identity, combining Swiss professional standards with an in-depth knowledge of the land and the trust of the local community, gives Fazenda Kavili a unique position from which to bridge these two markets.