Green coffee

Washed Green Coffee

If you are buying East African Arabica, you are usually buying washed coffee. This page covers what differs between the origins in how they wash, and what that means for the cup you receive.

Availability: All six origins
Method: Fermentation + wash
Soak as standard: Kenya · Burundi

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Photo: PROJETO CAFÉ GATO-MOURISCO

Washed Coffee from six East African origins

TanzaniaFully washed · NaturalAA · A · ABJune–October in the south; July–December in the north
UgandaNatural (Robusta) · Washed Arabica (WUGAR)Screen 18 · Screen 17 · Screen 15Robusta main crop November–February with a fly crop April–July; Elgon Arabica October–February
KenyaFully washed with soak · Mbuni (natural)E · AA · ABMain crop October–December; early (fly) crop May–July
EthiopiaFully washed · Natural (sun-dried)Grade 1 · Grade 2 · Grade 3October–January, varying by region and altitude
RwandaFully washed · Natural (growing)Grade 1 (fully washed) · Grade 2 · Screen 15+March–July, with the peak in April and May
BurundiFully washed with soak · Natural (limited)Grade A · Grade B · Screen 15+March–July

Quick answer

Washed coffee is the default preparation across most of East Africa. We supply fully washed lots from all six origins, including the soak-processed styles standard in Kenya and common in Burundi, from station-level specialty separations through to commercial volume grades.

Washing is not one process

The wet processing page covers the mechanics. What matters commercially is that stations make different choices within it, and those choices have a sensory signature.

Washing styles across the origins
Origin	Style	Signature
Kenya	Fermentation, wash, then a clean-water soak	Clarity and structure; the soak is central to the classic Kenyan cup
Burundi	Fermentation with soak, common at stations	Clean, tea-like, juicy
Rwanda	Fermentation and channel grading	Silky body, orange and caramel sweetness
Ethiopia	Fermentation and washing, often with grading channels	Floral and citric clarity
Tanzania	Fermentation and washing at AMCOS central pulperies	North firmer and structured; south rounder and sweeter
Uganda	WUGAR / Bugisu preparation on Mount Elgon	Fuller-bodied and winey than the regional average

The grading channel deserves a mention: in much of East Africa the washing step also separates by density, and the resulting fractions are often kept apart through drying. When a station offers you separations from the same day’s cherry at different price points, this is usually where they came from.

What washed processing gives you commercially

Consistency. Batch-to-batch variation is lower than for naturals, which matters for a repeating blend.
Transparency. Origin character reads clearly, which is what makes single-origin offerings work.
Predictable roasting. More uniform moisture and density distribution than dry-processed lots.
Exposed faults. Nothing masks poor cherry selection — which is a risk for the producer and a benefit for the buyer.

Specifying washed lots

Process detail: Fully washed, or washed with soak — state which if it matters
Traceability: Station or factory identity; delivery period for tighter separations
Grade and screen: Per the origin’s system, with tolerance
Defects: Maximum full defects and the counting basis
Moisture and water activity: With methods stated
Drying substrate: Raised beds or patio, where it matters to you
Rest period: Time in parchment before hulling
Packaging: Hermetic liner recommended for long storage

Washed lot enquiries

Tell us the origin, separation level and profile. We will confirm what the current crop supports, with the station identified.

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Last reviewed August 20262 min read

Availability

Every parcel is assessed on the same sequence before it is offered, and again before it is loaded. What is reported for a given lot depends on what the buyer specifies.

A cupping table in use: two hands breaking the crust with cupping spoons across coded sample bowls. — Photo: René Porter

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Export

Packaging and export

Packaging is specified at contract stage rather than requested afterwards, because it changes both the price and the container arithmetic. Four of our six origins are landlocked, which makes the inland leg the largest single source of schedule variance — shipment windows are built around port arrival, not mill readiness.

Jute coffee sacks stacked on wooden pallets in racking inside a warehouse, tied at the neck with twine. — Photo: Caelen Cockrum

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What does "fully washed" mean?

That all mucilage was removed before drying, by fermentation and washing or mechanically. It distinguishes the process from honey, where a fraction of the mucilage is deliberately left on the parchment during drying.

What is a soak and which origins use it?

A post-fermentation immersion in clean water, typically 12–24 hours. It is standard in Kenya and common in Burundi, and is associated with the clarity and structure both origins are known for.

Are washed lots more consistent than naturals?

Generally yes. Removing the fruit before drying eliminates the largest source of batch-to-batch variation, which is why washed lots are usually the safer choice for a repeating blend.

Do you supply washed Robusta?

East African Robusta is overwhelmingly dry-processed; washed Robusta exists in small volumes but is not a routine offer. If you need it, ask and we will tell you what is realistically available for the crop.

Keep reading

Related technical guides

The reference material behind the specification fields on this page.

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Tell us the washed coffee you need

Origin, region, process, grade, screen, moisture, defect tolerance, crop year and packaging. Send what you know and we will confirm what each origin realistically supports for the current crop.

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