Burundi
Burundi is a small coffee-producing country in the heart of East Africa, located between Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was after one of our visits to Rwanda that we traveled to Burundi — with the help of our partners, Baho Coffee.
Despite its modest size, Burundi produces coffee with an impressively fruity and berry-forward flavor profile — and that’s exactly what drew our attention. We must say that Burundi left a truly lasting impression on us — and not just because of the coffee.
The country has gone through numerous political crises and conflicts. It is governed by an authoritarian regime, and more than 70% of the population lives below the poverty line. The economy is fragile, heavily reliant on agriculture and foreign aid. It’s not uncommon to see armed military personnel in the streets — a stark reminder that trips to coffee origins aren’t always easy.
All the more remarkable is the fact that farmers here manage to produce some of the most vibrant and clean coffees in East Africa. We worked at the Nyamahiti coffee washing station, located near the town of Ngozi, one of the most renowned coffee regions in the country. We were assisted by the station manager, Freddy, who was particularly interested in learning about our fermentation techniques. We produced several experimental lots using tried-and-true methods — and the results exceeded our expectations. The quality of the cherries was excellent, which allowed us to achieve outstanding results. The coffee turned out to be truly exceptional. We’re confident we’ll return to Burundi to continue exploring new fermentation approaches.
Despite its modest size, Burundi produces coffee with an impressively fruity and berry-forward flavor profile — and that’s exactly what drew our attention. We must say that Burundi left a truly lasting impression on us — and not just because of the coffee.
The country has gone through numerous political crises and conflicts. It is governed by an authoritarian regime, and more than 70% of the population lives below the poverty line. The economy is fragile, heavily reliant on agriculture and foreign aid. It’s not uncommon to see armed military personnel in the streets — a stark reminder that trips to coffee origins aren’t always easy.
All the more remarkable is the fact that farmers here manage to produce some of the most vibrant and clean coffees in East Africa. We worked at the Nyamahiti coffee washing station, located near the town of Ngozi, one of the most renowned coffee regions in the country. We were assisted by the station manager, Freddy, who was particularly interested in learning about our fermentation techniques. We produced several experimental lots using tried-and-true methods — and the results exceeded our expectations. The quality of the cherries was excellent, which allowed us to achieve outstanding results. The coffee turned out to be truly exceptional. We’re confident we’ll return to Burundi to continue exploring new fermentation approaches.