Coffee Story
The Twaranyuzwe cooperative was established in 2006 by coffee growers on Kavumu Hill in Kayanza Province. One of the main reasons for founding the cooperative was to build a washing station that would reduce the distance between growers' homes and the cherry collection center. Additionally, the cooperative aimed to contribute directly to the coffee value chain, bypassing intermediaries.
The washing station was inaugurated in 2015, and the cooperative joined the COCOCA union the same year. COCOCA is wholly owned by its 930 members, who are organized into 33 cooperatives across Burundi. The union provides access to markets and financing, conducts quality assessments, and sources coffee from ten hills near the washing station.
Twaranyuzwe primarily produces washed-process coffees, with 15% of their volume consisting of honey and natural-treated microlots. For these microlots, cherries are dried with their pulp intact and laid out on raised beds to improve air circulation. This drying process requires careful attention to ensure uniformity and can take between 26 and 30 days, depending on climatic conditions. Prolonged drying on raised beds enables the development of complex aromas, often yielding fruity, sweet, and occasionally spicy notes, while preserving the coffee's natural sweetness.
