Interview with Tisya Mukuna
CO-FOUNDER, LA BOÎTE KINOISE

Lives in: Democratic Republic of Congo

Tisya Mukuna is the co-founder of La Boîte Kinoise, a coffee company in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She is also among the top 10 finalists in the 2024 Africa’s Business Heroes competition. By overseeing the entire value chain – from farming and packaging to retail – her company is reshaping how Congolese coffee is grown, valued and consumed. In this interview, she discusses her business journey.

You grew up in France before returning to Kinshasa in 2018. Your return sparked a bold idea: growing coffee in Kinshasa, a region dismissed as nonviable. What made you believe it was possible?

Absolutely. Growing up in France, I was surrounded by stories of coffee; not just as a drink, but as a culture, a ritual, a symbol of sophistication and connection. Coffee was everywhere: in cafés where people debated politics over tiny espressos, in films, in books, and advertisements that spoke of exotic origins and rich aromas.