Dan Brose is the co-founder of Migoti Coffee, a specialty coffee producer dedicated to elevating the quality and global recognition of Burundian coffee. Born in Burundi and trained as a chemical engineer, Dan always hoped to return to the country where he was born. That journey eventually led him to coffee, where he found an opportunity to invest not only in exceptional coffee production but in the long-term success of local farming communities.
In 2015, Dan partnered with fellow engineer and Burundian native Pontien Ntunzwenimana to establish Migoti Coffee. Together, they built their first washing station on Migoti Mountain, about thirty kilometers from the city of Bujumbura in the mountains of western Burundi, with a vision of connecting smallholder farmers directly to the specialty coffee market through quality processing, transparency, and meaningful partnerships. Both the mountain and the company take their name from an indigenous tree species that grows in the area. The surrounding hills sit at elevations of roughly 1,600 to 1,900 meters above sea level, where smallholder farmers cultivate the Red Bourbon variety for which Burundi is known, harvesting cherry between March and June each year.
Dan’s engineering background has shaped Migoti’s approach to innovation and quality, while his philosophy centers on teamwork, community, and sustainable growth. Rather than seeking recognition for himself, he consistently emphasizes the collective effort of the farmers, processing teams, and local communities that make each harvest possible. This people-first mindset has become a defining characteristic of Migoti Coffee.
Today, Migoti Coffee partners with more than 1,200 smallholder farmers across the highlands of Burundi, operating two washing stations that produce washed, natural, and honey processed lots that rank among the country’s most celebrated specialty coffees. The stations employ a small permanent staff alongside hundreds of seasonal workers each harvest, most of them women from the surrounding hills. Beyond coffee production, the company invests in farmer education, coffee seedling distribution, environmental stewardship, access to clean water, and diversified agricultural opportunities, including intercropping essential oil crops that give farming families additional income while young coffee trees mature, as well as renewable energy efforts such as a small hydropower plant to serve the community. Together these investments help create stronger and more resilient communities.
For Dan, great coffee is the result of more than ideal growing conditions or careful processing. It is built on trust, partnership, and a shared commitment to creating lasting opportunities for the people who cultivate it.
