About This Coffee
Ngacha Coffee Estate is a family-run farm located in the heart of Kenya’s coffee-growing region, Kirinyaga County. Established in 1954 by John Muriuki Ngacha, the estate started with only 9 bushes due to colonial restrictions (local farmers were restricted in how much coffee they could grow). Despite this law, John Muriuki Ngacha secretly planted 4 extra bushes, an act that led to his arrest and the forced removal of those bushes. This story stands as a quiet rebellion against oppression and a testament to the family’s uncompromising commitment to preserving Ngacha’s heritage. After inheriting the estate from his father, Martin Muriuki leads its development with innovative approaches, particularly Fully washed and Anaerobic natural fermentation methods.
Ngacha Collective comprises 8 smallholder farmers working closely with Martin Muriuki for coffee processing. This Natural ABC lot is a result of this collaborative effort, characterized by a bright acidity, sweet fruit notes and a delicate floral aroma.
Cultivation
Coffee in the region is cultivated on fertile volcanic soils, typically in small plots at elevations of 1,800 meters above sea level. The cool temperatures, ranging from 13 to 25°C, slow the maturation of the cherries, allowing them to develop greater sweetness and complexity. Combined with the area’s moderate bimodal rainfall, these conditions create an ideal environment for producing coffees with clean and well‑defined flavor profiles.
The ‘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.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Cherries are carefully hand-picked before being delivered to the Ngacha estate. At intake, the cherries are carefully sorted to ensure optimal quality, with only the ripest are selected. Cherries are then soaked for 24 hours before being moved to dry on raised beds. During this process, workers turn the cherries regularly to ensure even drying while removing any damaged or defective cherries. It takes approximately 14 to 20 days to dry cherries completely.
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 Kirinyaga
Kirinyaga County is nestled at the foothills of Mt. Kenya, roughly 112 km from Nairobi. The region is well-known for its exceptional coffee. Sucafina partners with numerous coffee farmers and cooperatives in the region, working with them to improve processing capacity, access to agricultural inputs and agricultural practices.
The locals in this area call Mt. Kenya ‘Kirinyaga’, the namesake of the county, meaning the crest of whiteness due to its famous snow-capped peaks.
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.