gitesi - rwanda - washed

Ayae Maki Fredheim is originally from Japan. She moved to Norway with her husband in 2013. That is when she discovered her love for coffee and her passion for roasting started blossoming. Aya started as a barista at a café in Oslo in 2014, began roasting in 2018, and became the head roaster in 2019. She remained in that role until 2023 when her son was born. Motherhood has a certain way about empowering women to follow their dreams. Aya started her own roastery, and after months of planning, she officially launched Hibi Kaffe in November 2024.

Hibi means daily in Japanese—better coffee for your everyday moments. Basically. Aya says: "Starting this journey has been amazing, and I’m so excited to share it with others!" Equally amazing is the way that our paths crossed and that was a pure coincidence triggered by our common interest in sourdough baking, and Aya and Leif's hevet.no collection of proofing baskets.

Hibi beans now come in a new bag that is Aya's effort to decrease plastic use in what is the standard in specialty coffee packaging. The outside of the coffee bags is now made of rice paper (isn't that cool!) and they look impeccable, too.

This is a smooth and herbal cup, perfect for a calm morning. You can find red fruit notes and lemongrass -- herbal tones in the long aftertaste.

Gitesi 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. Alexis (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.

With 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.

origin: Gitesi - Rwanda

varietal: red bourbon

altitude: 1750-1800 masl

processing: washed - The 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.

The 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.