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 originally owned and operated by the Mathira Farmers’ Cooperative Society (FCS). In 1996, it separated with two other factories, Gichathaini and Ndaroini, to form Gikanda FCS. Registered in 1999, Gikanda FCS now operates two wet mills: Kangocho and Gichathaini.
Thanks to optimal weather conditions and careful processing, this Fully washed lot stands out with a distinctive flavor profile. For this coffee, expect a sweet, juicy cup with vibrant stone fruit notes.
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 the number of trees rather than in area. Most of these small farms will have coffee trees interplanted with food crops, crops for animal fodder and fruit trees. Kangocho supports its member farmers through agronomical advice, social well-being initiatives (including school fee loans and medical assistance) and sustainable farming training.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Smallholders selectively handpick only ripe cherries and deliver them to the Kangocho factory. At Kangocho, cherries are hand sorted to remove any underripe or damaged cherry and then pulped within the same day of delivery to ensure the highest quality. Fermentation takes place overnight in cement tanks, lasting around 12 to 24 hours depending on the weather.
Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and soaked for 12 to 24 hours. This soaking stage is a traditional way to structure post-harvest processing during peak season, when there will be limited space available on drying beds. However, it has been posited that additional benefits derive from the soaking process, such as clarity in the cup and overall longevity of green coffee.
After soaking, the parchment is then laid to dry on raised beds or solar driers (covered greenhouses). During the drying process, workers rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying. Parchment is covered with a tarp during the hottest time of day, to maintain slow, even drying and at night, to shelter parchment from moisture. It takes approximately 7 to 20 days for parchment to dry. Once the drying is completed, parchment is bagged, milled and ready to export.
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.
About Ruiru 11
Ruiru 11, a hybrid of Catimor and SL cultivars, is both Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) and Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) resistant. Plus, it can be planted at a much higher density than the SL varieties, making optimal use of small plots of land.
Ruiru 11 has slowly ‘taken root’ across most of Kenya’s coffee growing landscape. The only issues were that with a shallower root structure, many farmers found the plant less hardy in drought conditions, and the trees required a more intense feeding program. Over time, farmers have found that by grafting Ruiru-11 to SL varieties they could take advantage of SL trees’ expansive root system and still reap the increased yields and higher immunity to disease of Ruiru-11.
Due to the grafted Ruiru-11’s growing popularity, most farms in Kenya today, both big and small, have a mixture of Ruiru-11 and SL varieties. As SL trees age, many farmers are opting to turn more towards Ruiru-11 (or the grafting solution) thanks to its ease of use and higher resistance to diseases.
Source: https://varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org/varieties/ruiru-11 & https://sucafina.com/na/news/think-you-know-kenya-coffee-varieties-think-again
AB Grade
Kenyan coffees are classified by size. AB beans are those that are between screen size 15 and 18 meaning that beans are between 6 and 7 millimeters in size.
About Nyeri County
Nyeri County is one Kenya's most famous growing regions.
The name Nyeri is derived from the Masaai word nyiro, meaning red, after the red volcanic soil in the area. The name was adapted by white settler farmers to Nyeri. Most farmers in the area today grow tea and coffee as cash crops. Coffee varieties in the region are usually a mix between SL 28, SL 34 (roughly 80%) Batian and Ruiri 11.
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.