About This Coffee
Kangocho Factory (factory is terminology for Central Washing Stations in Kenya) has been a part of Kenya's coffee landscape since it was established in 1985. The name Kangocho comes from the Kikuyu language, meaning “a place of corners,” reflecting the local culture and geography.
Kangocho Factory was initially owned and operated by the Mathira Farmers Cooperative Society. In 1996, Kangocho broke off from the Society with two other factories (Gichathaini, and Ndaroini) to form the Gikanda Farmers' Cooperative Society.
Today, more than 600,000 smallholders farming fewer than 5 acres compose 99% of the coffee farming population of Kenya. Their farms cover more than 75% of total coffee growing land and produce nearly 70% of the country’s coffee. These farmers are organized into hundreds of Farmer Cooperative Societies (FCS), all of which operate at least one factory.
Cultivation
Farmers delivering to Kangocho cultivate SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian in small coffee gardens that are, on average, smaller than 1 hectare. In fact, farms are usually measured by number of trees rather than in area.
Most of these small farms (or ‘shambas’) will have coffee trees interplanted with food crops, crops for animal fodder, and shade and fruit trees.
Kangocho supports its member farmers through agronomical advice, welfare initiatives (including school fee loans and medical assistance), and sustainable farming training.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
The average farmer contributing to Kangocho Factory manages approximately 300 coffee trees. Harvesting is done through selective picking to ensure only ripe cherries are processed, and then cherries are sorted and pulped on the same day to maintain quality.
Fermentation takes place overnight in cement tanks, lasting around 12 to 16 hours depending on ambient temperature, followed by washing and grading through grading channels using clean water clean from the Gatomboya stream. For the main grades, an additional soaking step is implemented to enhance quality. The coffee is then dried on raised beds and raked regularly to ensure even drying for 10-14 days (sometimes longer). During colder and peak seasons, Kangocho Factory has begun introducing solar drying methods as a supplementary solution, granting them additional drying infrastructure and enabling them to continue the flow of coffee while preserving quality.
Once coffee is dried to 10.5-11% moisture content, it is stored in conditioning bins while it awaits delivery to the mill.
About SL28 & SL34
SL28 and SL34 were two of the cultivars released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) during the height of SAL’s research in Kenya in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the cultivars of choice for most growers thanks to their deep root structure that allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. SL varieties also had higher yields than the French Bourbon rootstock that they replaced and were known to be somewhat more disease resistant.
About Batian
Developed by Kenya's Coffee Research Institute in 2010, Batian is named after the highest peak on Mt. Kenya and is resistant to both coffee berry disease (CBD) and coffee leaf rust (CLR). The variety has the added benefit of early maturity – cropping after only two years. Some challenges (such as vegetative structure) have prevented it from becoming widespread so far, but its popularity is certainly growing.
Coffee in Kenya
Though coffee growing had a relatively late start in Kenya, the industry has gained and maintained a impressive reputation. Since the start of production, Kenyan coffee has been recognized for its high-quality, meticulous preparation and exquisite flavors. Our in-country sister company, Sucafina Kenya, works with farmers across the country to ensure these exceptional coffees gain the accolades they deserve.
Today, more than 600,000 smallholders farming fewer than 5 acres compose 99% of the coffee farming population of Kenya. Their farms cover more than 75% of total coffee growing land and produce nearly 70% of the country’s coffee. These farmers are organized into hundreds of Farmer Cooperative Societies (FCS), all of which operate at least one factory. The remainder of annual production is grown and processed by small, medium and large land estates. Most of the larger estates have their own washing stations.
Most Kenyan coffees are fully washed and dried on raised beds. The country still upholds its reputation for high quality and attention to detail at its many washing stations. The best factories employ stringent sorting practices at cherry intake, and many of them have had the same management staff in place for years.