We met Germaine Simbayobewe, Kazoza N’Ikawa’s quality manager, on our first sourcing trip to Burundi in 2009. In that first meeting, his passion for coffee struck us. A few years later, we connected with Germaine again—this time at Kazoza N’Ikawa—and saw how his drive and seriousness manifested in some of the best-picked and best-sorted coffee we have seen in Burundi. We first purchased this coffee in 20012, with help from COCOCA, a cooperative union of which Kazoza N’Ikawa is a member. That was the first year they produced washed coffee from their newly built washing station, and we’ve had the honor of purchasing this coffee every year since. 

Kayanza is a province in the northwest of Burundi known for its tea and coffee production. Farms associated with Kazoza N’Ikawa are small—typically less than one hectare with a few hundred coffee trees. As in most of Burundi, farms use eucalyptus trees for shade and intercrop with fruits, vegetables, and potatoes. In late 2022, the cooperative received a Seeds grant to distribute avocado and papaya tree seedlings to its members. These trees will bear fruit that may be consumed by cooperative members or sold for supplemental income.

Like many coffees from the Great Lakes region of East Africa, there is a small likelihood of experiencing Potato Taste Defect, or PTD, when grinding your coffee. Though a bit unpleasant and highly aromatic, PTD affects individual beans and is safe to consume. If you would like to learn more about this defect, as well as some tips for avoiding it in your cup, visit www.counterculturecoffee.com/PTD.