Every visit to a foreign country involves a mass downloading of new information. Such a download comprises not only coffee data, but lots of details about what constitutes the culture of the country, what informs agricultural practices and what affects the broader economy. Coffee does not exist in a vacuum, it genuinely reflects the country and region it grows in.
This trip, being our first to Burundi, only reinforced this notion. Filled with such huge potential, yet presented with such visible challenges, the Burundi coffee sector is an incredible mix of good and bad.
Our partners at Long Miles Coffee can only be thought of with the ultimate respect. They have admirably navigated many tough challenges, yet their vision remains strong. Backed by slick operations, their products are fantastic. It is amazing to realise that over the span of just five years, they have built three washing stations; Migoti, Heza and Bukeye. On top of this, they run a successful Coffee Scout Program (for junior agronomists) and have built a reputation for operating with the highest quality and care.
We’re looking forward to sharing these coffees from Burundi in the years to come. Keep a careful eye out for them as we have expanded our portfolio and have some exciting new offerings to add to those we have presented in the past.
This week @Ibarra_Jacob & I are in Burundi! looking forward to hanging with the @longmilescoffee crew. Stay tuned for updates ^@benbicknell pic.twitter.com/zz7he9ejiP
— Five Senses Coffee (@5Senses) June 12, 2017
#freeride #Burundi #upcountry ^@Ibarra_Jacob pic.twitter.com/qAOnooFqEV
— Five Senses Coffee (@5Senses) June 13, 2017
@5Senses What happens in Burundi when your car can’t get down the road and you are forced to walk #sighttosee pic.twitter.com/uXCT3eVVR1
— Jacob Ibarra (@Ibarra_Jacob) June 13, 2017
@5Senses Atop of Gitwe Hill pic.twitter.com/VdP7wrst1N
— Jacob Ibarra (@Ibarra_Jacob) June 14, 2017
@5Senses Many farmers also use land to make bricks. Either to sell to nearby city or use to construct their homes. #Burundi #NkongeHill pic.twitter.com/WCElLR2zHj
— Jacob Ibarra (@Ibarra_Jacob) June 15, 2017
Night’s falling & farmers arrive at Heza washing station. Before they hand cherries over they float & sort picking^JI pic.twitter.com/zKr63WaxaA
— Five Senses Coffee (@5Senses) June 15, 2017
No h2o means more naturals, but that also means more space & therefore tables needed to dry. #Heza ^@Ibarra_Jacob pic.twitter.com/TMb8Q60UYx
— Five Senses Coffee (@5Senses) June 16, 2017
For a tea drinking culture, these farmers sure do like drinking their own coffee #GitweHill #Burundi ^@Ibarra_Jacob pic.twitter.com/1GneZIeq55
— Five Senses Coffee (@5Senses) June 16, 2017
@5Senses @longmilescoffee Who doesn’t love a good selfie?! #straightjoy #GitweHill pic.twitter.com/tqZOGvHa5d
— Jacob Ibarra (@Ibarra_Jacob) June 16, 2017
.@benbicknell & @Ibarra_Jacob exploring the stunning Nkonge Hill in Burundi with @longmilescoffee 🙌😍 pic.twitter.com/pJA1Ec5ZlL
— Five Senses Coffee (@5Senses) June 15, 2017
Lots selection cupping time @longmilescoffee lab ☕️👌 ^Ben pic.twitter.com/zM25C5mOc2
— Five Senses Coffee (@5Senses) June 16, 2017
Night night #GitweHill #Burundi pic.twitter.com/ARZ8nYmMOW
— Jacob Ibarra (@Ibarra_Jacob) June 16, 2017
