It’s time for this year's funky natural summer espresso, Funka!
This year, we’ve sourced the coffee from two different continents, Asia and Africa. When it comes to coffee, Myanmar’s known for booziness and tangy flavours, so combined with Burundi’s classic juicy and tropical notes, means this year's Funka certainly packs a punch!
Moe Htet, Myanmar
Owned by Kyaw Hlaing, the Moe Htet Estate in central Myanmar spans an impressive 200 acres of farmland. Nestled at 1080m above sea level, Kyaw and his team of over 100 coffee pickers are working tirelessly towards fully organic practices.
Aung Hleing Phyo, who assists Kyaw in the running of the estate, organises monthly workshops as a way of contributing to the community and growing the local speciality industry. But this isn’t all, they also have a demo farm which allows them to show best practices.
The last time we offered a coffee from Myanmar was back in 2019, so we are very excited to have it feature in this year's Funka. Myanmar, as a coffee producer, has seen dramatic success in recent years with the rise in speciality coffee and farmers embracing modern coffee handling and training. Local organisations are committing to investment in education and research, which will only lead to more exceptional coffees.
Bavyeyi, Burundi
Coffee trees were first planted in Burundi back in the 1930s, and today, it’s their biggest export alongside tea. Believe it or not, there are currently over 800,000 smallholder farmers across this small landlocked country with coffee growing that’s known for its clean, light and delicate flavours. Burundi has a reputation for tropical coffees with strong fruit intensity, which is exactly what makes it perfect for Funka this year, packing a pineapple punch.
Half of this year's Funka has been produced in the Ngozi Province, at 1,800 metres above sea level. The founder of the exporter grew up in this region and remembers her mother helping harvest cherries to cover her school fees growing up. This is where the name Bavyeyi has come from, as it translates to ‘parents’ in English.
Burundi may be a small country, but it’s known for high-quality diversity in its coffee production. It’s got a unique combination of high altitudes (up to 2000 metres above sea level) and volcanic soils, which gives the coffee complexity and brightness.
Expect this coffee to smack you around the face with pineapple juice if enjoyed as a straight-up espresso. Fan of the flat white? Enjoy the decadent profile of banoffee pie, delicious!