BURUNDI
IZUBA | NATURAL PROCESSED
Rich and jammy, with notes of dark chocolate, nectarine and plum.
Ripe fruity flavours, balanced sweetness and uniformity, amazing body and aftertaste, with velvety mouthfeel.
" In Burundi, we work to secure higher profits for both coffee producers and employees of station staff alike." Raw Material, Not-profit Organisation
Origin: Burundi
Region: Runinya, Kayanza Province
Processing: Natural
Drying: Between 25 and 30 days*
Elevation: 1500 - 1700 MASL
Varietal: Red Bourbon
Importer: Raw Material
* All cherry is hand-sorted before a pre-pulp float, underripe or damaged cherry is removed. Once the cherry is sorted and cleaned, it is ready to be dried. The cherries are laid out evenly across raised beds, providing consistent airflow, and height away to prevent moisture and animals coming into contact with the cherry.
The cherry is dried for between 25 and 30 days, turned constantly when the sun is high and covered during the night. Once the cherry has dried, the now dried outer fruit is removed, and the coffee beans are ready to be organised for packing.
Information on Natural Processed Coffee
Natural processed coffee, also known as dry processed coffee, is all about letting nature take its course. Here's the breakdown:
- The key difference: Unlike other methods that remove the fruit flesh (pulp) before drying, natural processing dries the entire coffee cherry, with the bean still inside.
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Sun is the main ingredient: Ripe coffee cherries are laid out on large drying
beds or patios in direct sunlight. - A fermentation party: As the cherries dry, the remaining fruit flesh ferments, infusing the beans with unique flavors.
- Patience is key: This slow drying process can take weeks, requiring careful monitoring and turning to ensure even drying and prevent spoilage.
Flavour profile
Natural coffees are known for their:
- Fruity and sweet notes: Think berries, stone fruits, even hints of tropical fruits.
- Heavier body: Compared to washed coffees, they can feel richer and more full-bodied in the mouth.
- Lower acidity: The fermentation process can mellow out some of the bright acidity found in other processing methods.
For those who enjoy a complex and flavourful cup, natural processed coffees can be a real treat.
Background Information on Izuba
(courtesy of Raw Material)
Izuba meaning “sun” in Kirundi, is located in Runinya, Kabarore Commune, of Kayanza Province. The Izuba washing station is set close to a nearby river, providing a vital and regular freshwater source for coffee processing. 
The station is managed by Ntama Appolinaire, who works alongside Prosper Merrimee, the operational manager of RM Burundi. Izuba employs 2 full-time staff and around 250 seasonal workers, who are all local to the station. Izuba is situated near to the Kibira national park, where the soil and climate are paired well for fantastic coffee production.
Kigeri, Ryamukona, and Mugoyi are the three hills (collines) surrounding Izuba and the three areas in which coffee is collected or delivered from. Each volume of cherry sold to Izuba is recorded by producer and hillside, showing the minute variances in profile from locations surrounding the washing station. In 2020 we bought coffee from 1482 producers, 1169 of which were male and 313 female (around 26%). We processed 453,000kg of cherry, the max capacity of the station is 800,000kg.
Coffee farming and production began in Burundi in the early 1900s under Belgian colonial rule, where farmers were forced to grow coffee, the produce was bought and processed by the state and coffee was exported primarily to Europe. The sector was privatized in the 1960s, followed by state control from 1976 to 1991, and then a new wave of privatization began in 1991.
After the civil war in the 1990s, coffee has slowly emerged as a means to rebuild the agrarian sector and to increase foreign exchange, with an increase in investment and a somewhat healthy balance of both privately and state-run coffee companies. However, following the political crisis of 2015 and the subsequent economic crash, the coffee sector has struggled to meet the expectations and potential to stimulate the economic growth of Burundi.
Information on this Washed Coffee
All cherry is hand-sorted before a pre-pulp float, where any under ripe or damaged cherry is removed. The selected cherry is now pulped in preparation for fermentation. The now parchment coffee is fermented in concrete fermentation tanks for an average of 12 hours under water. During this time, the fermenting parchment is agitated several times throughout the day.
After fermentation, coffee is released into a large serpentine grading channel. This process also separates parchment into different density grades. During the washing process, parchment is continuously agitated to encourage lower density parchment to float and to clean any residual mucilage off the parchment. Once the parchment is separated into grades, it is given a final post-wash rinse. At this point, coffee is taken to a pre-drying area where the parchment is hand-sorted removing any insect-damaged, discoloured or chipped coffee. The parchment is laid out to dry and turned on a regular basis throughout the day for between 13 and 16 days depending on the climate.
Maximum Impact Coffee
As of December 2019, Raw Material has established a production and exportation branch in Burundi, through the construction of a washing station and export company.
The construction of a centralised washing station (not seen in all coffee producing countries) can serve also as a nucleus within a community. This localised position in a community can benefit producers by distributing needed agricultural products, as well as through ways to support the local community through funds, staff, and construction where needed.
RM Burundi works to create wide-reaching community benefits through and beyond the production and sale of coffee.
Businde’s producers received a premium that was 20% above the local market rate this season.
Businde is a station managed by Matraco Coffee, located in the northern province of Kayanza, close to the Rwandan border. This is a station with a wide reach to local coffee farmers, processing the cherry of up to 650 local farming families. As a washing station, it is important to consider the payment of workers who process the cherry as well as the price received by those who cultivated them.
As a station, Businde pays its staff 60% above the rate for seasonal labour.
To assist with the dispersing of coffee pulp, Matraco distributes this compost as fertiliser to help the farmers nearby. Alongside this, they assist with the yields of local farmers by donating seedlings to their farms. Higher profits accompanied by the potential of more cherry to sell.