Blues Creamery, Rwanda
Kayonza / Rwanda
Blues Creamery Rwanda: A catalyst for change in rural communities
Rwanda's rural areas face high poverty and limited income opportunities, leading to 20% of the population struggling with food insecurity. In 2020, 38% of children under five suffered from chronic malnutrition, and 33% were affected by stunting.
Despite having 1.3 million heads of cattle, Rwanda's dairy industry is underdeveloped. The Mubari Farmers’ Cooperative, representing around 365 small-scale farmers, provides facilities for milk collection and sales. However, these farmers operate at a subsistence level, lacking the skills, expertise, and equipment to add value to their milk and fetch higher prices.
The ambitious vision: Crafting sustainable artisanal cheese
The Blues Creamery Rwanda was established to produce artisanal cheese from locally sourced milk in Eastern Rwanda. This initiative is part of a broader agricultural research and development program aimed at enhancing Rwanda’s dairy industry through carbon-neutral practices. By reinvesting all profits, the Creamery creates a sustainable business model that benefits the entire community.
Article 25’s masterplan for the site includes commercial-scale cheese-making facilities, hospitality, community spaces, and educational areas, all within an off-grid development. The first phase focuses on creating a dairy for artisanal cheese production, meeting high food safety standards within a simple reinforced concrete and rammed earth structure. Cheese ripening rooms will be built into the hill to utilise cooler underground temperatures.
Driving impact: Empowering communities & achieving global goals
The Blues Creamery Rwanda addresses 16 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, supporting local and national organisations while fostering community development through technology transfer and education.
Key benefits include creating approximately 160 new jobs and generating profits for the Mubari Farmers’ Cooperative to reinvest in their operations. Additional profits will support national dairy projects, technology transfer, and education initiatives.
Furthermore, the whey, a by-product of cheese making, will be repurposed to create nutritious drinks for a school feeding program in the province, enhancing food security and child nutrition.
Looking ahead: What’s next for the Blues Creamery?
We recently submitted detailed drawings for the creamery, assisting the clients’ efforts in raising funds for construction. Additionally, the project is committed to achieving NetZero goals, utilising One Click LCA’s free software for its calculations. Efforts are underway to generate all required energy on-site, with ongoing discussions with a solar panel manufacturer to explore viable options. Energy usage will be carefully aligned with the production schedule, ensuring that any surplus energy during low-usage periods is used to offset carbon emissions.
Peter McDonald, Managing Director of Blues Creamery, comments:
"Article 25 was introduced to 'The Blues Creamery' by Louise Quill, founder of the Tír na nÓg Children’s Foundation, which has undertaken extensive projects in Tanzania.
After thoroughly vetting the Blues Creamery Rwanda project for its contribution to addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals, Article 25 committed to providing design services on behalf of the Blues Creamery Rwanda. Stage 4 of the design is now complete, and the project is ready to go to tender.
The project design, spearheaded by Article 25, is distinct in its use of sustainable raw materials for construction, the robustness of the plant equipment, and its off-the-grid energy supply. Indeed, this project design is not only unique in East Africa but possibly unique globally.
As an NGO and registered UK charity, Article 25 provides significant credibility to the Blues Creamery vision, which enables and assists in the mobilisation of fundraising. Their ability to research the intricacies of build and sustainable plant design, and to engage with international engineers, provides a comfort to be admired.
The Blues Creamery Rwanda is deeply grateful to Article 25 for its continued support, which resonates through all its staff in a caring, genuine, and professional manner."
PROJECT TYPE: Social enterprise
CLIENT / PROJECT FUNDING: Blues Creamery and Africa Agri-Food Development Programme (AADP)
STATUS: Design development
