VYIZA
Origin - Ngozi Province, Burundi
BLACK CHERRIES, BLUEBERRY JAM, and BLACK TEA - Natural
Free Royal Mail 48 Tracked shipping on all orders over £28.
Shipping & Returns
Get Free Royal Mail 48 Tracked delivery when you spend £28.
For orders under £28, choose from Royal Mail 1st or 2nd class delivery, or DPD Tracked Next Working Day delivery (order by 8am for next day delivery, weekend orders processed on a Monday)
We have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return.
Social Impact
As a social enterprise, our primary mission is to help reduce homelessness in the UK through training and employment within speciality coffee.
65% of the profits we generate are reinvested into our barista training programme.
Whether that's assisting our head roaster at our roastery or working in one of our cafes as a barista, we're committed to supporting our trainees from training to employment.
Sustainability
We've made a commitment to plant a tree for every 1kg bag of coffee that we sell, through our partnership with the Eden Reforestation Project.
Whether you are a wholesale customer or simply buying a bag online, you can now enjoy your coffee knowing not only is it responsibly sourced, it is also helping the planet.
Sourcing Quality Coffee
We ensure the coffees we serve are as fresh and seasonal as possible to showcase the wonderful diversity of flavours and aromas found in different coffees around the world.
We also have a strong focus on quality. Higher quality means a better price for the farmer, so it is very important that we continue to work with the producers that consistently supply us with high scoring coffees. This helps them secure a higher price which is often 4 - 5 times higher than the Fairtrade minimum.
ABOut VYIZA
The Vyiza WS is located at 1800masl in Ngozi Province, northern Burundi. The is more than just a washing station, it is a collective effort, a community, and a symbol of resilience. The name Vyiza, meaning “good things” in Kirundi, reflects the spirit of the farmers and the quality of the coffee they produce. This decentralised model is typical in Burundi and broadly to East Africa, where coffee farming is deeply rooted in family tradition and community collaboration, this combined with the terroir characteristics are key factors to the region’s renowned cup profiles. The coffee grown here is primarily Bourbon, like in neighboring Rwanda, and the harvest runs from March to June. Vyiza specialises in the natural process, where cherries are floated to remove defects and then spread thinly on raised African drying beds. Over the course of 20 to 30 days, depending on the weather, the cherries are sundried slowly in the open air, allowing natural fermentation to enhance the coffee’s flavour profile.
The farmers fertiliser use is minimal due to cost constraints, and most farmers rely on the natural fertility of the land, which is rich in yellow latosol soils and supplement the soil with mulching practices and manure. Environmental stewardship is evident in the use of “caixas secas”— engineered roadside reservoirs that capture rain water and reduce erosion along with the preservation of legal reserves to protect local biodiversity. The story of Vyiza is deeply personal for many involved. For Eduardo Zanotti Guerra, the agronomist and farmer behind the initiative, coffee is a legacy passed down through generations. His journey began with his father on a small estate in Espírito Santo, Brazil, and has evolved into a mission to support smallholder farmers in Burundi through sustainable practices and quality-focused production.
Country
BurundiNgozi Province, Burundi
Region
Ngozi Province
Producer
Kariua Farmers Cooperative
Variety
Bourbon
Process
Natural
Coffee With Impact
Here at Old Spike, we aren't your average coffee company.
As a proud social enterprise, we've been dedicated to having a positive impact on the world through specialty coffee. When you choose Old Spike, you're not just getting an exceptional cup of coffee. 65% of our profits are re-invested into our barista training and employment programme, providing valuable opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness to reintegrate back into the workforce.
To date, we have supported over 250 people back into employment with the support of our customers. Wether you are buying a bag of coffee online or you are one of our amazing wholesale partners - you are doing your part to help people that need it most.