Description
More about Kabingara
Washing Station – Kabingara Factory
Farmers – 800 farmers working with Kabingara Factory
Region – Kirinyaga
Variety -Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28, SL34
Processing – Fully Washed
Altitude – 1,750 m.a.s.l
This fruit forward and juicy coffee from Kenya is produced by small farmers who grow approximately 250 to 350 coffee trees each at high altitudes between 1,600 to 1,800+ meters above sea level. They deliver their coffee cherries to the Kabingara factory, which is owned and operated by the Karithathi Farmers’ Cooperative Society. The high-altitude environment with warm days and cool nights helps nurture sweet and dense cherries.
The farmers primarily cultivate SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11 coffee varieties on small plots of land, focusing on sustainability and environmentally friendly farming practices. SL varieties are known for their deep root structure, enabling efficient water usage without irrigation. Batian and Ruiru 11 are relatively new varieties known for disease resistance and early maturity, yielding fruit after only two years.
During the harvest, smallholders carefully handpick ripe, red cherries and deliver them to Kabingara Factory. The cherries undergo meticulous sorting and processing, including pulping, fermentation, and washing with clean water. The coffee is then dried on raised beds over a period of 7 to 14 days, with workers taking care to ensure even drying by covering the parchment during the hottest part of the day and at night to protect it from moisture.
We loved this coffee for its well balanced juiciness, sweetness and nice acidity.
Coffee in Kenya:
Kenyan coffee has a well-established reputation for its exceptional quality and meticulous preparation. Despite a late start in coffee growing, it has gained and maintained this impressive standing. Sucafina Kenya, our in-country sister company, collaborates with farmers nationwide to ensure these exceptional coffees receive the recognition they deserve.
The majority of Kenyan coffee production comes from over 600,000 smallholders, who own less than 5 acres of land and make up 99% of the coffee farming population. They collectively cover more than 75% of the country’s coffee-growing land and contribute nearly 70% of the total coffee output. These smallholders are organized into numerous Farmer Cooperative Societies (FCS), each operating at least one processing factory. The remaining coffee production comes from various small, medium, and large land estates, many of which have their own washing stations.
In Kenya, the predominant processing method for coffee is fully washed, and drying is typically done on raised beds. The country is renowned for its commitment to maintaining high quality and attention to detail at its numerous washing stations. The best factories adhere to strict sorting practices during cherry intake, and many of them have retained the same management staff for an extended period, further contributing to the consistent quality of Kenyan coffee.
