Say hello to Gitesi Gold, our darkest roast
How much work goes into a truly great cup of coffee? An incredible amount. When Warawul co-founder Chris visited the Gitesi Coffee Washing Station last year, he was deeply impressed. More than 100 employees grow and process coffee here from over 1,800 smallholder farmers.
Photo: Aimé Dusabe Gahizi (right), Managing Director of Gitesi Coffee, and Chris (left), co-founder of Warawul
At night, freshly harvested coffee cherries arrive in large sacks by bicycle. The next morning, Seraphine Uwiringiyimana and her colleagues sort the beans, which have already been floated, pulped, fermented, and washed.
During the 20–30 days of drying, the remaining moisture is carefully monitored and every defective bean is removed by hand.
“Rwanda is a small country and has to focus on quality,” says Managing Director Aimé. Only top quality secures the prices needed to sustain both the operation and the wider community.
The washing station is more than a business. It provides health insurance and pays school fees for families in need, produces natural fertilizer from coffee pulp, and through the Gitesi Project has donated more than 200 cows to families, helping them generate additional income.
During his visit, Chris also tasted Aimé’s coffee roasted for the Rwandan market. It inspired a new roast: Gitesi Gold. A medium to dark espresso with delicate fruit notes and rich caramel and chocolate flavors. It is well suited for espresso machines and Vollautomaten.
Gitesi Gold is our tribute to the people behind Gitesi, bringing together different processing methods and with them, the work of everyone involved.
Here is a short video from the Gitesi Coffee Washing Station:https://warawul.coffee/products/gitesi-gold#product-video
Without Aimé and Gitesi Coffee, Warawul would not exist. Our conversations with him sparked the idea behind Warawul. He is one of the reasons why we remain committed to building a values-driven business.
