IZERE

“In the hills of Burundi, farmers tend their coffee crop. Their livelihoods depend on a good harvest.”

At Izere, we believe that cultivating coffee is key to rebuilding our country and to empowering local farmers. This is why we focus on delivering high-quality Burundian coffee and ensure it’s accessible in different markets — on a global level. We want to take our customers with us on a journey of discovery of the character of the Burundian bean. We believe that our coffee is a fitting ambassador of the product of Burundi’s rich soil and the dedication of local small farmers.

Burundi has been growing coffee beans for decades. The coffee industry has been a major source of the country’s revenue, representing 93% of Burundi’s exports. Coffee beans are collected from the local farmers who live in the region and are then organized into washing stations. Most Burundi coffee bean growers own several coffee plants that produce high-quality Arabica coffee for coffee lovers all over the world.

Izere treats each actor in the value chain with dignity and respect, ensuring that every person involved in the process has a strong sense of ownership over the final product. This way, we hope to create a sustainable network between Burundi farmers and Canadian coffee lovers.

As a mother-daughter company, we also believe that opportunity shouldn’t be a luxury for any woman. Our facilities and operations are led by a group of women who support their families through Izere.

Izere coffee beans are not your typical beans. We proudly sell single origin, specialty coffee grown in micro lots by Burundian farmers. What makes these beans so special? From the farms to the roasting process, only the highest of quality beans are selected with great care. Our fully-washed coffee beans hold a solid 85 and above on the quality scale and are of the Bourbon variety.

When you purchase our coffee, you become more than just a customer, you become part of a global community.


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Entrepreneurship Recognition

Izere and its founders have been recognized in the community for their entrepreneurial work.

In 2018, Deborah won the No Limit Awards Entrepreneur of the Year. Izere has also been selected for the Summer Company mentorship program and received funds for the business.

Furthermore, Izere was selected to compete for the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program—the competition features the 1,000 best applicants out of 20,000 applications.

Meet Our Team

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Consolata Ndayishimiye

Co-Founder & CEO

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Deborah Ntawigirira

Co-Founder & Managing Director