Greetings from David Wilding-Davies

Back in 1991, while taking a break from training on the Canadian Olympic Equestrian Team, I decided to travel to Africa, a continent of such mysterious beauty and vibrancy. I found myself in the heart of the majestic Eastern Highlands region of Zimbabwe, where some of the world’s best Arabica coffee beans are grown.

Many years later, with my young family in tow, I went back to this beautiful place and bought a coffee farm. And so, Ashanti Coffee Enterprises was born. Life was good, as we made friends and gradually nourished the neglected farm back to a productive state. In 2003, we won the Zimbabwe Coffee Grower of the Year Award for our efforts.

But trouble soon brewed. As a result of President Mugabe’s violent campaign of farm invasion, our land was expropriated, and we reluctantly moved back to Canada. Fortunately, I partnered with other Zimbabwe coffee farmers who managed to keep their land, ensuring our exclusivity on Zimbabwe coffee in Canada and a steady supply of Ashanti Coffee.