The Backstory- 

I met Picasso very briefly on my first trip to Burundi in 2013 on a random night deep in the up country of Burundi. But little did I know, I would end up there the following year in 2014 as his roommate. We worked right alongside each other for many months as he managed the washing station while I learned every bit of the production and export operations, following the coffee through each step leading up to export.  

Picasso and I started that new coffee harvest season walking to work and back for about 45 minutes each way. On those walks, he began to teach me Kirundi, the local language, mixed in with some French, the official language, which resulted in what I call my Burundi version of “Span-glish”. He began to teach me all about the history of Burundi, the colonial era, past tribal conflicts and all the aftermath from those times through now. He also taught me what it meant to have hope for his country, and belief that there could be promising times ahead. An inspiring posture to have when Burundi was then and still is today one of the most impoverished countries in the world. 

But it was 12 years ago that we were having those conversations. And while we still talk about these things, I've been able to witness and be a small part of the work he and his team have done to contribute to that growth and future he hopes for. He’s a real one, a solution minded entrepreneur that gives more of himself than he takes. His coffee tastes really great too. 

Picasso co-founded BSS in 2018 first as a farming business, then in 2021 as a producing and exporting company led by himself and two other great friends, Zephyrin and Jeremiah. And since their beginning, I have had the honor of working with them as their buyer and liaison ensuring their story and coffee is shared by the best. 

Get out of your world and read our interview with Picasso Nduwayo, Co-Founder of BSS in Burundi, one of our coffee producing partners in Burundi, East Africa. 

JAKE: Tell us about your name, why is your name Picasso? 

PICASSO: From the story of my parents, and my father who was a painter, he chose to call me Picasso after the famous one, Pablo. So I paint when I have time and like to draw things. 

JAKE: What would you want the world to know about BSS and the work that you guys do? 

PICASSO: I want the world to know about our quality. But also our impact and sustainability. We have been and continue to produce good quality but the impact apart from our plantations, we are able to connect and help more than 1200 farming families that deliver coffee cherries to our station. 

We help them create coffee associations that are more organized to impact farmers in training them to help with financial literacy, improving their coffee plantations. We are focused on sustainability to build larger coffee plantations which are new in Burundi to become more sustainable as a business and for the community. 

JAKE: What is your favorite food in Burundi? 

PICASSO: Maize posho. It is a maize like ugali. And Mukeke fish from Lake Tanganyika. 

JAKE: What is the best snack to eat while tasting coffee? 

PICASSO: There are these snacks from cassava bread mixed with ripe bananas. They are sweet. I like them. 

JAKE: How do you prepare a cup of coffee for yourself? 

PICASSO: I use a pour over, with a small grinder. 

JAKE: What is the best and hardest part of being a coffee producer? 

PICASSO: First, coffee is an interesting cash crop. It is connecting farmers to buyers and people all around the world. It is the best way to connect 1200 farming families to the world who appreciate the coffee, and the story. We have the opportunity to impact the lives of many people. 

The hardest part is that we don’t have the right to make a mistake. The moment we make a mistake, you understand that all the 1200 people that are trusting you are going to suffer from your decision. You have to satisfy all the people that are trusting you. There is no room for mistake, quitting or leaving because of the responsibility I carry. 

JAKE: Is there anything else you would like to share? 

PICASSO: The other challenges we deal with is how climate change is affecting farmers. It is hard. You expect coffee to be there but there is too much sun or hail. In coffee we have to know. When you drink a cup of coffee, you have to know what it took to produce the coffee you are enjoying. 

Be sure to drink the beautiful Burundi’s from Picasso and BSS while they’re available! They won't be around much longer.  


BURUNDI - Busambo #12 Natural
BURUNDI - Ruvumu #3 Washed