The Cafex Washing Station in Kayanza is managed by a competent and dedicated committee of 200 experienced coffee growers. Founded in 2006 by a Belgian-Burundian couple, the Cafex project was launched with the vision of harmonizing coffee production on their ancestral lands with modern, sustainable practices, aiming to improve the well-being of local communities.
Ripe cherries are carefully hand-picked daily by producers and swiftly transported to the washing station. There, they undergo a flotation process to separate the highest quality, densest cherries from the lesser ones. The selected cherries are then depulped using a traditional depulper and fermented in water for 12 to 18 hours before being thoroughly washed in grading channels to remove any remaining mucilage and further sort them by density. After this step, the coffee is dried on raised beds, exposed to full sun for about 20 days. The beans are turned regularly to ensure even drying. Once the optimal moisture level is reached, the coffee is carefully stored in a cool, dark environment until it is prepared for export.
To guarantee exceptional quality, the hulling of these lots is entrusted to the Ikawa Nziza factory, located at the junction of the Ngozi, Kirundo, and Muyinga provinces. This processing plant, ideally situated at high altitude, preserves the integrity of all coffees — both full lots and high-quality microlots — and actively promotes specialty coffee in Burundi.
This meticulous journey, from cherry selection to hulling at Ikawa Nziza, illustrates the remarkable excellence of the coffee produced by Cafex.
