How Does Burundi Coffee's Heart of Africa Taste? Flavor Profile and Industry Challenges

Burundi is a small, mountainous, landlocked country in East-Central Africa, located between Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

East Africa is renowned for producing high-quality coffee, and Burundi is no exception. Although the production volume here is very small compared to other African countries, Burundian coffee farmers pay great attention to detail.

Burundi has the second lowest GDP per capita in the world and is considered one of the ten poorest countries, but the fact that coffee production is a major contributor to the national economy motivates farmers and provides justification for further developing coffee cultivation.

What does Burundi coffee taste like? Why do coffee plants thrive in this country? What is the best coffee you can buy?

Before exploring these questions, let's cup a coffee from Rutana, Burundi!

This is a washed Bourbon variety coffee. FrontStreet Coffee uses light roast, and its dry aroma is very intense, with notes of citrus, cream, and caramel. The tropical fruit flavors are quite evident upon tasting, with light acidity, smooth and full body, and a persistent finish. Are you getting excited now? Today, let's explore the little-known world of Burundi coffee with FrontStreet Coffee.

Coffee Cultivation and 100% Export

Coffee cultivation in this small country began in the 1930s when Belgians brought the first Arabica coffee plants to the region. Although Burundi grows some Robusta varieties today, most plants are still Arabica coffee beans.

While Burundi's coffee production cannot compare to other African countries like Kenya or Ethiopia, it remains the world's 29th largest coffee-growing country. More interestingly, 100% of the coffee produced in this country is exported, with total coffee production exceeding 36,118,424 pounds in 2015.

Burundi's coffee industry has faced some severe challenges, particularly due to political instability, which have finally begun to stabilize. Today, more than 800,000 Burundian families are involved in coffee cultivation. These small farmers average about 250 trees per person and typically produce other crops and livestock alongside coffee beans. On over 60,000 hectares of land, approximately 25 million coffee trees are planted, where you'll find mainly the Bourbon variety, known for its excellent sweetness and richness. The coffee is wet-processed, as is typical in Africa, undergoing double washing or double fermentation, resulting in cleaner, brighter flavor profiles.

How Does Burundi Coffee Taste?

Burundi coffee is often compared to coffee from neighboring Rwanda. Displaying typical characteristics of African coffee, you can expect clean, delicate flavors, rich body, and bright acidity.

The country's coffee can exhibit some wild and fruity notes. They have flavors of sweet berries, floral notes, citrus, blueberries, and even pineapple.

Coffee grown at higher altitudes has more pronounced acidity and citrus notes, often achieving scores of 86 points or higher from the Specialty Coffee Association. Lower altitude coffee has slightly lower body and carries flavors of chocolate and hazelnut.

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