As we all adjust our calendars to the new decade, I want to take a few moments to reflect on the past year.
There are so many people to be grateful for – first and foremost, the women and men coffee farmers in Burundi, whose commitment to quality never wavers, no matter the size of the harvest.
• The green coffee buyers and roasters who have embraced the empowering role of JNP Coffee.
• The IWCA members who encouraged and supported my partnership presentation in Rwanda at the AFCA Expo.
• The volunteer baristas who helped generate excitement at the JNP Coffee booth at the SCA Expo in Boston.
• The entrepreneurial women who took our savings lessons to heart and built their own wet mill.
• The YWCA committee members who chose to celebrate my story.
• The SCA members who elected me Northeast Regional Coordinator.
• My fellow SCA officers as we build a new US chapter.
• The Barista magazine writer who summarized our crazy phone conversation so elegantly in his Master Q&A piece.
• The organizers for the New York Coffee Festival who found a time slot for my cupping.
• The coffee shop owners on both coasts and in Texas who opened their doors to JNP Coffee to share our love of Burundian coffee with others.
And many more, with apologies for not noting every single person!
The new year will bring new opportunities and celebrations. We're expecting a much larger harvest and greater premium payments for women to leverage for expanded production, education and investment in their businesses. I'm headed to Burundi soon, and can't wait to report on the new stories I hear from the many people in the supply chain who bring such delicious coffee to your doorstep.
May 2020 be a year of new relationships to help us all make a difference. I believe that's why we’re here.
Let’s connect soon! Write to me at info@jnpcoffee.com.
Warmly, Jeanine Niyonzima- Aroian