Kirundi for “live longer,” Ramba coffee draws on harvests from close to 2,000 farmers in the northern region of Burundi. This is where rainfall is ample and predictable, which explains in part why this has been a coffeeproducing area for many years. Bourbon, Jackson and Mibirizi cherries grow amid banana trees as well as beans, sweet potatoes, cassava and taro.
This history of heritage plants is one reason JNP Coffee has invested in the Gacokwe washing station. It uses a pulping machine to remove the cherries’ red skins before they soak into a fermentation tank overnight. Once they are fully dry, the coffee is taken to a nearby dry mill for final processing before export. Ramba coffee delivers small volume and remarkable quality every harvest. They are a national winner of the Cup of Excellence in 2018.