About This Coffee
There are 9 members of the Nyanjuki producer group. They formed the group in 2021 after leaving Faith producer group where they were previously members. They each own and operate a small estate in the Njukiini area. All members are committed to producing high-quality coffee while increasing their production capacity.
They named their producer group after the three main physical features of the local region: NYA came from the Nyamindi River, NJU came from Njukiini forest and KI can came from Kii river. Put together, they are Nyanjuki. The chairman of the group is Peter K. Njeru, who owns Waki Estate and the secretary is Joseph Mutema Hilary of Josema Estate.
Farmers meet once a month for trainings on a variety of coffee production activities including farm operations, processing, financing, milling and marketing. They endeavor to have uniform practices across all estates to ensure uniform quality and operations. They receive support from KENYACOF (Sucafina in Kenya) with agronomical trainings and access to farm inputs and processing materials.
Cultivation
Producer members in Nyanjuki producer group cultivate primarily SL28, SL34, Batian and Ruiru 11. ‘SL’ varieties are cultivars originally released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the go-to trees for many growers in Kenya due to their deep root structure, which allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. They are cultivated with a serious eye towards sustainability and Good Agricultural Practices, with minimal environmental impact where possible.
Batian is a relatively new variety introduced by the Kenya Coffee Research Institute (CRI) in 2010. Batian is named after the highest peak on Mt. Kenya and is resistant to both CBD and CLR. The variety has the added benefit of early maturity – cropping after only two years. Similar to Batian, Ruiru 11 is a new variety known for its disease resistance and high yields. It also starts yielding fruit after just 2 years.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Small estate owners process their coffee on their own farms. They selectively pick and then visually sort their cherry before pulping. Coffee is fermented in tanks for 12 hours. Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and laid to dry on raised beds. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 14 days for parchment to dry.
AA Grade
Kenyan coffees are classified by size. AA beans are the largest size. AA grade coffees are those that are 17/18 screen size, meaning that they are larger than 7.2 millimeters.
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.