#30 Rwanda, Gishyita

Rwanda Gishyita
Natural fermentation Bourbon Variety

Choch. sugarcane. honey. strawberry. vanilla

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Gitesi Washing Station is a privately owned processing facility managed by Alexis and Aime Gahizi. Constructed in 2005 and commissioned in 2006, the station is strategically located in the Gitesi sector of Karongi District, within Rwanda’s high-elevation Western Province—an area known for producing high-density, high-acidity coffees.

During its initial operational years, the station faced significant financial and logistical constraints, requiring extensive reinvestment and process optimization to remain functional. By 2010, through improvements in workflow efficiency, producer engagement, and quality control protocols, Gitesi achieved profitability and established a sustainable operating model.

Alexis, a lifelong coffee grower from Karongi, provides generational agronomic knowledge and long-term relationships with local producers. His son, Aime Gahizi, holds an engineering degree and has implemented an advanced wastewater treatment and purification system at the station. The system effectively manages effluent from the wet-milling process and has been recognized as a benchmark for environmentally responsible coffee processing across Rwanda.

Today, Gitesi integrates traditional coffee cultivation heritage with modern engineering and environmental stewardship, supporting both improved cup quality and long-term resource sustainability.

Variety	100 % Arabica Bourbon
Processing	Natural Fermentation/Washed
Land/Region	Rwanda/Getisi Washing station
Farmer	Aime Gahizi
Altitude	1750-1800 masl
Cupping Score	86
Roast Master, Quality cupper & Barista	Søren Stiller Markussen