Nyagishiru Coffee Washing Station, located near Buhinyuza in the Muyinga region, features 200 raised drying beds, a Mackinnon pulper, and a considerable suite of tanks for fermentation and processing. Around 850 coffee producing families on the surrounding 12 hills contribute cherry; Matraco, the producer of this coffee and owner of the washing station, also has a small plot of its own trees on the same hill as station itself. 

Farmers delivering cherry to Nyagishiru receive a 20% premium above the local market rate, while staff enjoys wages nearly 60% higher than the Burundi average. This commitment extends across Matraco’s portfolio, which includes two more washing stations in Northern Burundi. Matraco also supports local farmers by distributing composted coffee pulp as fertilizer and donating seedlings.

Matraco’s coffee journey began with a truck. Founder Zuberi Matsitsi got his start transporting coffee in trailer trucks, eventually amassing a fleet of over 10 trucks. In 2015, Matraco expanded into coffee production. Today, Matraco continues to transport coffee in their own trucks, ensuring close quality oversight in an area where transportation remains something of a challenge. 

Country of Origin: Burundi

Region: Buhinyuza, Muyinga

Producer Type: Washing Station

Farm Name: Various producers

Processing: Natural/Dry Processed

Processing Description: Dried on raised beds

Growing Altitude: 1500m-1650m

Plant Species: Arabica

Varietal: Bourbon

History of Coffee in Burundi 

During colonization, Belgians forced the people of Burundi to grow coffee to pay taxes, an all too familiar story. So, it is understandable that after independence, the farmers of Burundi were less than enthusiastic about growing coffee and there was almost no focus on quality. When world coffee prices dropped to historic lows 20 years ago, prices paid to farmers by government run washing stations were so low that coffee was smuggled into neighboring countries to be sold as Rwandan or Tanzanian coffee. When prices began to rise and become relatively stable, Burundi coffee farmers in the northern highlands did not forget that Rwanda received better prices for quality. The coffee farmers of Burundi began to emulate some of what was happening in Rwanda, forming cooperatives and seeking ways to improve quality

Growing Coffee in Burundi

 One clear indicator of a focus on quality is an increase in washing stations in a country where transportation is a challenge. The closer a washing station is to coffee trees, the greater control over quality and micro-climate specific separations. Burundi has seen a significant increase in the number of washing station over the last ten years and in recent years internal economic structures have liberalized enough for growers to experience increased income for increased quality. The cool highlands, soil, and altitude are ideal for growing excellent coffee.