Burundi Ntwari Natural

Burundi is located in a mountainous area of Africa, forming part of the Albertine Rift in the Great Rift Valley. The country's nutrient-rich volcanic soil and high rainfall levels contribute to its coffee’s distinct, intense fruit flavors and syrupy sweetness. All coffees from Burundi are small production micro-lots. Many are heritage coffees from plants with no genetic modification, often growing in the shade of banana trees, among cassava plants, corn, beans, and tea.

JNP Coffee, an export/ import company, was founded in 2012 by native Burundian Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian to bring Burundi’s distinctive specialty coffee to global markets and lift her people out of poverty. Today, social impact and sustainability remain at the heart of her mission to transform the lives of people in Burundi through economic empowerment. JNP Coffee works closely with over 18,000 farmers, using an innovative natural processing method that is unique to the area. The company shares the success of its coffees in global markets through the Dushime® premium payment program. In the Kirundi language, Dushime means “Let’s be thankful.” For the coffee farmers of Burundi, Dushime means a second payment late in the year, after the latest harvest has been sold by JNP Coffee to its customers worldwide. This cash is reinvested into the farmers’ communities.

"Our growers at origin are our partners. We recognize the quality they achieve and pay for the value. We support growers by sharing knowledge, encouraging pioneering efforts, and promoting good stewardship of the environment. We practice transparency by knowing the farmers we work with and the coffee they produce.​"

- Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian (JNP Coffee)

This lot was produced by the women-owned Ntwari wet mill, in the Muyinga Province, and was cultivated by about 280 smallholder farmers. In Kirundi, Ntwari means "hero" or "brave warrior" and symbolizes someone who has exceptional courage, valor, and resilience. This coffee honors the courage of all women in Burundi and specifically the leadership of one woman.

The owner of the Ntwari wet-mill is a widow who is still finding her voice in the male-dominated coffee industry years after her husband's passing. She has chosen to not disclose her name or details about who she is, wanting her coffees to speak for themselves. She first met Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian as she learned with other women farmers how to cultivate specialty coffee the JNP way. Now she’s ready to lead young women as she brings them along in her growing coffee business.