This coffee is a Red Bourbon variety from the Ninga Hill washing station in the Kayanza province of Burundi, grown at an altitude of 1,900 meters. Processed using the natural method, the cherries are hand-sorted and dried on raised African beds for up to thirty days. This careful processing results in a complex cup with flavor notes of melon, blackberry, and gummy bears, offering deep fruit sweetness.
Kiss the Hippo launched in 2018 as London's first carbon negative coffee roastery. Every coffee they sell is certified organic by the Soil Association and certified carbon negative, with reforestation projects in Colombia, Madagascar, Zambia, and Nepal through a partnership with Swiss nonprofit On A Mission. They pay farmers at least 50% above Fair Trade prices, often double. The roastery has won the UK Barista Championships three times, with victories by Joshua Tarlo in 2018, Paul Ross in 2019, and Paul Ross again in 2020 and now supplies seven London café locations. Sustainability extends to fully compostable pods, recyclable packaging, a Living Wage commitment, and a partnership with bio bean that turns used grounds into biofuels.
