History & Origins
In 2008, Jean Clement Birabereye, took his 15 years experience and started SEGEC, which built and currently operates the Mpanga washing station in north Burundi.
Birabereye, who has decades of milling experience under his belt, manages the mill. He initiated the washing station construction in 2008. The station was established as part of Societe General d’exploitation et d’exportation du Cafe (SEGEC), which handles both processing and export operations for the facility.
The Mpanga Kirema Washing Station gained notoriety in 2014 when two of their lots placed 1st and 3rd place at the Burundi Cup of Excellence. This early success established the station’s reputation for quality and helped position it as one of Burundi’s premier coffee processing facilities. As with JNP, the quality of SEGEC coffees have been recognized with Cup of Excellence awards. And also like JNP, SEGEC pays quality bonuses to the farmers who supply the station and supports community-building efforts.
Terroir & Growing Conditions
Located in the Kayanza region of Burundi, the Mpanga washing station works with 3,400 farmers who cultivate their Bourbon variety coffee on the hills in the surrounding area.
The station processes coffee from approximately 3,400 smallholder farmers, who cultivate coffee on the hillsides that surround Kayanza, at elevations of up to 1,950 masl.
Kayanza sits in the north and produces some of Burundi’s most celebrated coffees. The Ngozi-Kayanza plateau creates a unique microclimate with cool nights and warm days.
The region benefits from exceptional growing conditions characteristic of northern Burundi. Altitude: Between 1,200 and 2,200 meters above sea level. Climate: Temperate, with regular rainfall throughout the year. Soil: Volcanic and rich in nutrients.
The terrain is still distinctly Kayanza, with incredible elevation ranging from 1800-2200 meters above sea level and rich red clay soil. The proximity to the Kibira National Forest creates additional microclimatic influences, contributing to the distinctive terroir that makes Kayanza coffees highly sought after in specialty markets.
Processing & Production
To service these producers properly, Jean-Clement has ensured that the station is well-equipped to process volumes of speciality coffee and benefits from 450 drying beds and a McKinnon 6-disc pulping machine. Mpanga processes roughly 1,500 tonnes of coffee per season, with each producer lot separated and named according to the hillside upon which the coffee was grown.
Jean-Clement oversaw the creation of the station in 2008 and, with a laser focus on quality, keeps it well-maintained and updated with equipment that today includes 450 drying beds, six-disc McKinnon pulping machines and two pressers.
The washing station employs meticulous processing methods to maintain quality standards. We are pleased and excited to offer this lot which was washed using double fermentation, a method commonly used in the processing of coffee from Kenya. It is sun dried on raised beds.
SEGEC (Societe General d’exploitation et d’exportation du Cafe) is doing everything it can to reduce the risk that farmers face - fluctuating world coffee prices. They pay an initial fee for the coffee cherries delivered, with additional bonuses depending on the quality once the coffee has been sorted and picked. This quality-focused approach includes farmer training programs and premiums for exceptional lots, ensuring consistent excellence throughout the supply chain.
Cup Profile & Tasting Notes
The cup exhibits layers of stone fruit, brown sugar and coriander seed.
For my second featured single origin coffee I chose Burundi Mpanga (the M is silent), from the award-winning Mpanga Washing Station. It’s noticeably sweeter than the previously featured Guatemala Atitlán, with pink grapefruit citrus acidity, notes of date and some savory notes to balance it out quite nicely.
The washed lots have notes of tropical fruit, passionfruit, raspberry, and lemon cream, with abundant jasmine florality.
The station’s coffees demonstrate the characteristic profile of high-elevation Kayanza terroir. The high altitude here creates beans with vibrant, almost electric acidity. When you taste Kayanza coffee, expect bright citrus notes—think lemon zest and bergamot—mixed with delicate floral hints like jasmine and orange blossom.
We tend to find the Kayanza coffees are more delicate in character and present more floral notes such as jasmine, rose and orange blossom. The careful processing and separation by hillside allows for distinct microlot expressions, showcasing the nuanced terroir differences within the Kayanza region while maintaining the station’s signature brightness and complexity.