We met the cooperative’s quality manager, Germaine Simbayobewe, on our first sourcing trip to Burundi in 2009. In that first meeting, we were struck by his passion for coffee. A few years later, we connected with Germaine again—this time at Kazoza N’Ikawa—and saw how his drive and seriousness had manifested in some of the best-picked and best-sorted coffee we have seen in Burundi. This is our twelfth year purchasing natural-sundried coffee from this cooperative, with help from COCOCA, a cooperative union of which Kazoza N’Ikawa is a member. 

Kayanza is a province in the northwest of Burundi known for tea and coffee production. Farms associated with Kazoza N’Ikawa are small, typically far 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. 

Since 2022, the cooperative has been more actively engaged with our Seeds program, receiving four grants. With these funds, the group has distributed fruit tree seedlings, increasing its members’ food security and income diversification. They have also provided efficient cook stoves to reduce the amount of wood used as fuel. In 2025, the group received a grant to distribute solar kits to 118 families who currently lack access to electricity. Projects such as these reflect the cooperative’s drive to invest as much in the well-being of its members as in the quality of its coffee.

Potato Taste Defect
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.