ROASTER'S CHOICE
THIS MONTH'S COFFEE IS...
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The Headlines
Roaster's Choice #7
- Origin: Izauba, Burundi
- Producer: Ishurwe Women's Group
- Process: Natural
- Varietal: Red Bourbon
- Altitude: 1500-1700masl
- Notes: Strawberry Yoghurt, Chocolate, Red Grape
- Cup Score: 85.75
The Lot
Izauba, Burundi
This natural Red Bourbon lot was produced by the Ishurwe Women's Group in Ryamukona, Burundi, at elevations of 1,500 to 1,700 metres. In the cup it offers notes of strawberry, grapefruit and red grape, balanced by a smooth chocolate mousse sweetness. Natural processing allows the coffee cherry to remain around the seed throughout drying, encouraging greater fruit intensity and body than is typically found in washed coffees. Combined with Burundi's high-altitude growing conditions and the Red Bourbon variety, the result is a coffee that is bright and expressive while retaining a refined sweetness and clean finish.
The Producers
Ishurwe Women's Group
This coffee was sourced through Raw Material, a social enterprise that works directly with coffee producers to increase the value returned to farming communities. The lot was produced by the Ishurwe Women's Group, named after the Kirundi word for "flower", which brings together more than 300 female coffee producers who deliver their harvests to Izuba Washing Station. Rather than simply purchasing coffee, Raw Material invests in long-term partnerships that improve quality, strengthen local infrastructure, and help producers retain a greater share of the final value of their crop. Continued demand for coffees like this helps fund producer bonuses, new processing equipment, and coffee nurseries to replace ageing trees, supporting both quality and long-term livelihoods.
What is it?
CHAMPIONING FEMALE PRODUCERS
What makes this coffee particularly meaningful is the recognition it gives to the women behind its production. In many coffee-growing regions, women carry out a significant proportion of the work involved in cultivating, harvesting and processing coffee, yet they have historically had less access to land ownership, training, finance and the income generated from coffee sales. Lots such as the Ishurwe Women's Group coffee help bring greater visibility to their contribution while creating opportunities for higher earnings through the specialty market. By recognising and rewarding quality at producer level, initiatives like this support not only exceptional coffee, but also a more equitable and resilient future for the communities that produce it.