Burundi Coffee: Worth the wait
From the Hills of Burundi to the Heart of Sussex
In 2024, our founders Alice and Chris journeyed to the Migoti hills of Burundi, spending a week with the farmers and growers who bring this exceptional coffee to life. They witnessed first-hand the dedication that goes into every bean—from washing, drying, and depulping, to the joyful tradition of dancing on the beans to help remove the skins and pulp.
Our coffee is now imported directly from the Migoti Coffee Company to our roastery, a connection that began in the spirit of partnership and shared values.
It won’t have escaped any coffee-lover’s attention that the price of coffee has risen sharply in 2025. A combination of many different factors has led to the green bean prices doubling and created some unwelcome after -effects in the coffee world!
Therefore we thought it might be interesting to find out more about the amount of time and effort it takes for your coffee to reach these shores. It helps us to appreciate what a precious commodity it is!
The Long Journey of a Bean
The coffee you’re drinking today was harvested in late 2024—and finally arrived at our roastery on Wednesday 16th June 2025, some eight months later. Its journey was as extraordinary as the beans themselves.
From the remote highlands of the Migoti mountains, over 1,000 small-scale farmers bring their freshly harvested beans directly to the Migoti Washing Station throughout the season. The mode of travel depends on the farmer and the distance from their farm—and often takes place overnight. Seeing them arrive early in the morning, you can’t help but marvel at the effort it takes to travel through the night to ensure the coffee cherries arrive in peak condition.
A raging torrent and some rickety boards present no issues when coffee needs to be delivered
Once processed, the sacks are carefully loaded onto small lorries to begin their descent down steep, untarmacked roads—often scarred by heavy rains and reinforced with wooden slats laid across washed-out sections.
It’s a treacherous journey, yet the route is never empty. The roads are lined with watchful, welcoming faces—neighbours and villagers who step in to help, offering guidance, muscle, and good humour as drivers navigate the winding paths. It’s a shared effort, full of resilience, warmth, and quiet determination.
Eventually, the beans reach the dry mill in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. But their voyage in this instance was far from over. A sudden shift in the political situation led to a nationwide export ban—delaying all outbound goods for weeks. And Burundi, being landlocked, meant the coffee still had to be trucked hundreds of miles across borders to the port city of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Weeks passed. Then, finally, the container was loaded onto a ship, and we allowed ourselves a sigh of relief. The coffee was on its way to the UK—until… it wasn’t.
Arriving just before the Easter break, the container made it to British shores. But in a moment of almost comic frustration, it was not unloaded and instead sent sailing back to Rotterdam. To say we were stressed would be an understatement. The coffee was tantalisingly close—yet maddeningly out of reach.
Eventually, after navigating bureaucracy, ports, paperwork, and sheer persistence, the container finally arrived in Sussex. On an artic lorry. With no tailgate.
Undeterred, our own Stewart and Stevie rolled up their sleeves and spent several hours—thankfully in the sunshine—unloading the precious cargo by hand. And here it is, at last: ready to be roasted, blended, and enjoyed.
Stevie & Stewart at The EDGE Roastery, after unloading the pallets
The Migoti Story
Founded in 2015, Migoti Coffee Company was born from a vision to connect local Burundian coffee farmers with roasters across the globe through quality-focused, transparent supply chains. Their goal is to see coffee used as a catalyst for lasting economic transformation in rural communities.
Migoti’s roots lie in Mutambu, a mountainous region once devastated by civil war. With coffee trees abandoned and infrastructure destroyed, the community had all but given up on coffee farming. That changed in 2016, when Migoti helped build a modern coffee washing station at the heart of the region. Since then, hope has returned, and farmers are once again investing in their land and livelihoods.
More Than Coffee – A Cultural Celebration
The sacks that carry these beans from Burundi to Sussex bear the image of a Royal Drummer of Burundi. These sacred drums are central to Burundian identity—symbols of life, celebration, and renewal.
Made from hollowed-out trunks unique to Burundi and covered with animal skins, the drums are passed from generation to generation. The Royal Drummers begin training at the age of five, learning to sing, dance, and rotate seamlessly between drums in an electrifying, centuries-old performance. They enter bearing drums on their heads, beating rhythms that celebrate the spirit and soul of a people.
Just like their coffee, it’s a performance of pride, joy, and enduring tradition.
The Migoti Story – People with Purpose
Migoti Coffee Company was founded in 2015 with a bold and compassionate vision: to connect Burundian coffee farmers with roasters across the world through high-quality processing and a commitment to transparency. But beyond the mission, it’s the people who’ve truly brought it to life.
When we visited in 2024, we had the great privilege of meeting Dan and Tambray Brose—the driving force behind the Migoti washing station. They are, quite simply, a force of nature. Thoughtful, practical, and endlessly committed, they not only helped build the station itself but also a home for the station managers and a small, brilliantly conceived side business: a tiny essential oil distillery, nestled right next door. This initiative gives local farmers a way to supplement their income when coffee isn’t in season—a beautiful example of long-term thinking and care.
The Inspirational Founders
We spent many happy evenings with Dan, Tambray, and the incredible team who now run the washing station—people who’ve grown their skills, built their livelihoods, and helped turn Migoti into the special place it is today. Their passion and warmth were unforgettable—and it’s their hands, hearts and hope you’ll find in every cup of this coffee.
Migoti began its work in Mutambu, a mountainous region deeply affected by a 12-year civil war. Coffee trees were neglected or destroyed, and the nearest washing stations were far away, pushing many farmers to process lower-grade coffee at home. In 2016, with the help of the local community, Migoti built a modern washing station right at the heart of the region. Today, Mutambu has rediscovered its spirit, and farmers are once again investing in their land—and in their futures.
The Result
After eight long months of anticipation, the cupping finally began. This time, the entire team gathered—far more than our usual handful—eager to be part of the moment. The coffee did not disappoint. It lived up to every expectation and proved well worth the wait.
Head of Coffee, Stevie says:
"Along with bordering Rwanda, Burundi is just a tenth of the size of the dominant east African producing countries, Kenya and Uganda, and by comparison exports around15 MT of coffee a year against Kenya’s 50. A Burundi peaberry is a rare thing indeed. Most commonly found from nearby Kenya, peaberry beans pack a punch. They form inside the cherry as a natural mutation where the usual two seeds (beans) join and form one. Not only does this create double the flavour and acidity at the enzymatic level of the coffee but this is accentuated in the roasting process where the round beans take on heat with greater uniformity as they get roasted in a round drum. Roasters love them. We roast them hot and fast, racing them through first crack to really bring out the bright acidity and complex fruit notes."
