{"product_id":"rwanda-gitesi-4","title":"Rwanda - Gitesi #4","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(\u003cem\u003eLight Roast - 5\/6\/2026\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProduced by Aime Gahizi on his private farm, who is involved with sustainable innovation and social impact initiatives. It is processed in the Gitesi Washing Station, which he also owns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVariety: Red Bourbon\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProcessing: Washed\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrop year: 2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTasting Notes: \u003cem\u003ePlum, red berry, brown sugar sweetness. Bright stonefruit. Sweet black tea and caramel notes.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrigin: Gitesi Washing Station\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGitesi is a private washing station, owned and run by father and son: Alexis and Aime Gahizi. It was built in 2005, and began processing coffee a year later. It is located in the Gitesi sector of Rwanda’s Western Province. The dynamic duo struggled to keep it operating during its launch and fought hard to turn it into a profitable business. In 2010, they finally managed to turn a profit, and have since built a sustainable company.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlexis (Aime’s father), is originally from the Karongi District, where the washing station is located. His family has been growing coffee in this region for generations. Aime has a degree in engineering. He has created a water purification system for the washing station (wastewater management), which is being used as a model throughout the country’s coffee production industry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith more than 1,800 local farmers delivering their cherries to Gitesi, it is important for the washing station to maintain strong relationships with the local community. Competing for cherries can be pretty tough, as farmers can deliver their lots to whichever washing station they choose. They therefore maintain a sufficient supply of cherries, and offer competitive pricing to the farmers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAime and his staff are very competent. They are extensively trained in managing the delivery of cherries from farmers. They have implemented strict protocols for cherry reception and sorting, as the farmers must sort out their lots themselves. If this isn’t properly conducted, the washing station has staff who can complete the task. The cherries are placed in a tank prior to pulping where floaters are removed and processed separately as lower grade coffee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarvest \u0026amp; Post-Harvest\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven though most of our selections come from cherries picked between May and July, Rwanda’s harvest can run from March until August. This isn’t always consistent, as it can shift depending on the weather and the altitude the coffee grows on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe season’s climate in this region is generally quite cool, and can therefore control the fermentation process. A Penagos 800 Eco Pulper removes the skin of cherries, the pulp and 70% of the mucilage. The coffee is then dry fermented for 10-12 hours, graded and washed in channels. It is separated into two grades based on density, before being soaked in tanks of clean water for 16 hours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe parchment is initially taken to pre-drying tables underneath the shade. At this stage, while the parchment is still wet, a lot of hand sorting is conducted as it is easier to detect potential defects. The parchment is then dried on African drying beds for up to 15 days. It is covered with a shade net during the hottest hours of the day, throughout the night, and anytime it rains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImpact\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Gitesi Washing Station is CAFÉ Practices certified and Rainforest Alliance certified. They have a modern wastewater management system and produce organic or natural fertiliser through coffee pulp. They also have a pilot program where farmers can learn about growing different types of produce, so that they can have some income outside the coffee season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe washing station has also implemented a bonus scheme based on coffee performance, incentivising farmers to deliver consistent quality. Besides the standard pay that they receive directly at delivery, they can also obtain a bonus at the end of the season, depending on which lots performed best.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are some other initiatives Gitesi has introduced for the farmers and their local community:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eA coffee nursery consisting of 15,000 to 50,000 coffee trees which are distributed to farmers, free of charge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eDistribution of pumps and other farming equipment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAnnual distribution of cows to local farmers, providing them with alternative revenue streams, and a source of organic fertiliser. The first born calf to each of these cows is then given to another farmer. This initiative aims to distribute more cows to more farmers and unifies the farming community.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eHealth insurance for approximately 100 low-income coffee farmers every year\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eTraining on financial and agricultural management.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eDistribution of organic fertilizer (made with coffee pulp) to farmers, while providing assistance on how to effectively use it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Elijah's Coffee Co.","offers":[{"title":"250 grams(before grinding) \/ Whole Bean","offer_id":47584934756537,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true},{"title":"250 grams(before grinding) \/ Cold Brew","offer_id":47584934789305,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true},{"title":"250 grams(before grinding) \/ Clever Dripper\/French Press","offer_id":47584934822073,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true},{"title":"250 grams(before grinding) \/ Drip Coffee Maker","offer_id":47584934854841,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true},{"title":"250 grams(before grinding) \/ Pour Over","offer_id":47584934887609,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true},{"title":"250 grams(before grinding) \/ Aeropress","offer_id":47584934920377,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true},{"title":"250 grams(before grinding) \/ Espresso","offer_id":47584934953145,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true},{"title":"250 grams(before grinding) \/ Turkish","offer_id":47584934985913,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"ILS","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0554\/1249\/0425\/files\/Elija_sCoffee-Mockups-202612.jpg?v=1781432167","url":"https:\/\/www.elijahscoffee.co.il\/products\/rwanda-gitesi-4","provider":"Elijah's Coffee Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}