Clifton Coffee Roasters: Kenya, Kagumoini Washing Station, Washed

The Kagumoini factory is located in the Mathira division in the Nyeri district of the Central province. This area has rich agricultural soils and is widely known as the home of Kenyan coffee.

All member farmers of the Kangocho cooperative plant their coffees at an altitude at about 1600 meters above sea level. Each farmer averages about 200 coffee trees on 0.5 acres of land. Gravellea, Macadamia and Eucalyptus trees provide shade for the coffee plants. Most farmers also plant some corn, bananas and other horticultural crops on their lands.

After harvesting, the farmers bring their coffee to the factory on the same day. They sort and grade the cherries which are then weighed, recorded and pulped immediately. Clean water is sourced from the Ruiru river. Great care is taken to sustain the bean quality and secure the highly valued blueish-greyish raw bean colour achieved by proper fermentation and slow sun drying.

On the drying tables, the coffee in parchment is turned continuously to protect it from the hot temperatures and to ensure even drying. The coffee is dried to a moisture level of 10.5 – 11% and is then stored in conditioning bins to await delivery to the mill.