Masha | Honey | Burundi

Woohoo, honey processed Burundi! That's a new one for us i think, dope. We bought a washed lot from Masha last year and it was absolute fire, outselling all the all the other singles on our list for 2 straight months, everyone went fiend for it. So naturally we had a go back this year, and with our list becoming more washed heavy this year, we asked for something a bit more natural-y. It's a honey honey, sweeet.

We’re excited to showcase Masha again. The washing station is in an area known for its cattle than its coffee, and gets its name from the sub-hill Masha, which comes from amasho, the Kirundi word for "herds of cattle." Local herders still greet each other with the phrase gira amasho, meaning “owner of cows,” a nod to the region’s deep connection to its pastoral roots.

I had a bit of time today, so thought I'd do some research on Gihororo and the area surrounding Masha... there's barely anything you find online, and a close look at satellite maps shows very little. Suffice as to say, it's pretty darn rural, even as East Africa goes. The area has always been reliant on farming, and it looks like coffee's been a big part of this since at least the 60s. The population is made up of mostly Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa ethnic groups, with Hutu being the largest population. It's had some periods of instability over the past few decades, but seems to have remained generally more stable than other areas of the country, with less outbreaks of violence following the end of the civil war... that GPT reckons that Greenco are partly to thank for this, but that's just one robot's opinion.

Masha has been processing coffee since 1989 and is a key part of the local farming community. Most of the farmers who deliver their cherries are smallholders, typically with 200-250 trees. They grow coffee alongside food crops to feed their families. Quality starts right from the moment the cherries arrive. They’re floated, sorted, and pulped within hours to ensure only the best make it through. After that, the coffee is dried on tables for 2-3 weeks, carefully sorted along the way to guarantee a clean and sweet cup.

Greenco, the company running Masha, works closely with farmers to improve both their farming practices and their yields. Many of the trees here are over 50 years old, but Greenco provides seedlings and organic fertilizers to help farmers renovate their farms. Despite the small farm sizes—most farmers produce 200-300 kilos of cherry per year—the focus on quality remains top priority.

Once the coffee’s dried, it’s sent to Budeca for milling, where every single bean is hand-sorted to remove defects. This hands-on process ensures the coffee is top-quality from start to finish, and it helps provide a stable income for over 15,000 farmers in the region. We’re proud to bring you this exceptional coffee from Masha, crafted with care and attention at every step.

Yup.

• Carbon neutral production
• Post-consumer wastemade pouches from a minimum of 83% recycled material
• Recycle with bags at larger supermarkets (4 LDPE)
• Remove label if possible (don't worry if not, we've ensured it's under the industry standard 5% of the whole item, so it can be recycled)