Africa

Partners: Muraho Trading Co.
Altitude: 1,450 – 1,600 MASL
Varietal: Red Bourbon
Process: Process: Natural Process
District: Nyamasheke  Washing Station: CYESHA

Cup Profile

Brown Spice, cocoa – Chocolate liqueur, notes of raisin sweetness full smooth body bold aftertaste

Farm Information

Cyesha is one of the newest washing stations operated by Muraho Trading Co, located in Nyamasheke District near the shores of Lake Kivu. Coffee grown in this region benefits from rich volcanic soil, creating ideal conditions for high-quality Red Bourbon cherries.

This season, Cyesha produced 300 metric tonnes of export-grade coffee. The station works with 470 local coffee producers, around 25% of whom are women. Harvesting takes place between February and May, followed by processing, dry milling, and bagging through to early July before export.

The station employs four permanent staff, five seasonal workers, and around ninety casual labourers during peak harvest season.

Cyesha is focused on improving long-term productivity for local farmers. While growers face challenges such as ageing coffee trees and the high cost of fertiliser, the station supports producers by distributing organic compost made from recycled coffee pulp and grass cuttings. To further improve yields, Cyesha also distributes 50,000 new seedlings each year and promotes rejuvenation techniques such as pruning and stumping.

Processing at Cyesha

All coffee cherries are hand-sorted before processing to remove underripe fruit, damaged cherries, and foreign material. The cherries then undergo flotation to separate lower-density fruit before drying.

Coffee is dried on traditional African raised beds for approximately 50 days. During drying, the cherries are turned regularly to ensure even airflow and covered at night to protect them from moisture. Once fully dried, the outer fruit layer is removed and the coffee is milled to export standards before being prepared for shipment.