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.
Samuel Macharia and his family have been farming Kiranga Estate since 1995. They joined Sucafina Kenya in 2017. Since then, they’ve received higher prices for their coffee. Samuel reports that the extension services, quality monitoring, training and access to farm inputs have helped him improve the quality of his coffee.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Cherry is selectively handpicked and then pulped in a 2-disc pulper. Coffee is then fermented overnight. After fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and transferred to raised beds to sundry. On average, it takes 14 to 21 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 17/18.5 screen size, meaning that they are larger than 7.2 millimeters.
Origin: Kenya
Region: Kirinyaga, Central Kenya
Town: Keruga
Estate: Kiranga Estate
Owner: Samuel Macharia & family
Altitude: 1650 masl
Varieties: Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28, SL34
Grade: AA
Processing: Fully Washed
Cupping Score: 82
Cupping Notes: Bergamot, Chocolate, Almond & Raspberry
