VIBRANT AND BRIGHT
Camomila, Dióspiro, Sedoso
Camomile, Kaki, Silky
Info
Gakenke Washing Station
Kayanza, 1650 - 1950masl
Bourbon, Washed
Story
Gakenke Washing Station, established in 1991 in Burundi’s Kayanza Province, works with 2,667 smallholder farmers who cultivate coffee on very small plots, often averaging just a tenth of a hectare. Alongside coffee, families grow crops such as bananas, beans, cassava, yams, and taro for household consumption and supplemental income. Located in Burundi’s northern highlands near the Rwandan border, Kayanza is widely regarded as one of the country’s most important coffee-producing regions, known for altitude, fertile soils, and favorable growing conditions.
Because most farmers own limited land and lack access to individual milling infrastructure, freshly harvested cherries are delivered to centralized washing stations like Gakenke. Here, coffees are sorted, blended, and processed collectively. Washing stations play a critical role in Burundi’s coffee system, acting as hubs for quality control and post-harvest processing. Microlots are later selected from these daylots based on cup quality, creating blends that represent multiple producers rather than a single traceable farm.
Since 2006, coffees from more than 50 washing stations across Burundi have been evaluated to identify exceptional quality and processing standards. Gakenke consistently stands out for producing clean, vibrant coffees with structured acidity, layered sweetness, and a distinctive regional character that reflects the highlands of Kayanza.
Flavour Profile
When brewed releases a light and delicate aroma of chamomile that then evolves into the sweeter notes of kaki (persimmon), as it cools. It has a vibrant and well structured malic acidity with a fresh tanginess. It’s medium sweetness bringing light notes of dates and panela paired with a silky texture that showcases it’s elegance.
VIBRANT AND BRIGHT
Camomila, Dióspiro, Sedoso
Camomile, Kaki, Silky
Info
Gakenke Washing Station
Kayanza, 1650 - 1950masl
Bourbon, Washed
Story
Gakenke Washing Station, established in 1991 in Burundi’s Kayanza Province, works with 2,667 smallholder farmers who cultivate coffee on very small plots, often averaging just a tenth of a hectare. Alongside coffee, families grow crops such as bananas, beans, cassava, yams, and taro for household consumption and supplemental income. Located in Burundi’s northern highlands near the Rwandan border, Kayanza is widely regarded as one of the country’s most important coffee-producing regions, known for altitude, fertile soils, and favorable growing conditions.
Because most farmers own limited land and lack access to individual milling infrastructure, freshly harvested cherries are delivered to centralized washing stations like Gakenke. Here, coffees are sorted, blended, and processed collectively. Washing stations play a critical role in Burundi’s coffee system, acting as hubs for quality control and post-harvest processing. Microlots are later selected from these daylots based on cup quality, creating blends that represent multiple producers rather than a single traceable farm.
Since 2006, coffees from more than 50 washing stations across Burundi have been evaluated to identify exceptional quality and processing standards. Gakenke consistently stands out for producing clean, vibrant coffees with structured acidity, layered sweetness, and a distinctive regional character that reflects the highlands of Kayanza.
Flavour Profile
When brewed releases a light and delicate aroma of chamomile that then evolves into the sweeter notes of kaki (persimmon), as it cools. It has a vibrant and well structured malic acidity with a fresh tanginess. It’s medium sweetness bringing light notes of dates and panela paired with a silky texture that showcases it’s elegance.