Description
TASTING NOTES
baked pineapple, molasses, floral, cherry
COFFEE BACKGROUND
Gichathaini Factory, perched on the slopes of Mt. Kenya, is one of three washing stations owned and operated by the Gikanda Farmer’s Cooperative Society (FCS). The factory serves over 1,000 co-op members in Nyeri County. Most members cultivate coffee in small gardens of, on average, less than a single hectare. Farmers pick ripe coffee cherries by hand and deliver them to the factory. At intake, the Cherry Clerk oversees a meticulous sorting process, accepting only the dense, ripe cherries.
Factory workers pulp the cherries the same day that farmers deliver them. They ferment the cherries overnight, then wash the seeds clean in fresh water from the Ragati River that flows nearby. Finally, they spread the seeds on beds to dry, frequently raking them and carefully covering them at night and in the heat of the day to ensure slow, even drying.
The co-op model, common in Kenya, means that Gichathaini is owned by the farmers it serves. They manage the factory and choose representatives through a democratic process — a vital exercise of self-determination. Well-managed cooperatives like Gikanda allow smallholders to pool their resources, process their harvests at co-op-owned factories, and connect to global specialty coffee markets — ultimately earning higher prices for their coffees.
