Kena Ngandu AA

Product detailed description

The Ngandu factory, located in the Kirimukuyu ward of the western Mathira sub-county in Nyeri county, is part of the Rutuma Farmer Cooperative Society (FCS), a cooperative with 7,731 registered members, of which 3,268 are active. The factory itself has 800 registered farmers, of which 680 actively supply cherries during the harvest. Ngandu is one of five wet mills that the cooperative operates, along with Rutrhagati, Ndurutu, Karie and Kianjogu.

The producer members at Ngandu Factory primarily grow SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11. The “SL” varieties are cultivars originally released by the Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) in the 1930s and 40s. Thanks to their deep root structure, they soon became popular trees for many growers in Kenya, allowing them to maximise scarce water resources and thrive even without irrigation.

Rutuma A. Rutuma A. FCS emphasises sustainability and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) among its members and promotes cultivation with minimal environmental impact wherever possible.

Coffee cherries are carefully picked by smallholder farmers at peak ripeness and delivered to the factory for processing. The cherries undergo a thorough washed method, whereby they are first sorted and then pulped to remove the outer skin. The beans are then fermented in concrete tanks for 12 to 24 hours, depending on temperature and climatic conditions, to break down the mucilage. After fermentation, the beans are washed through grading channels using fresh water from the Gatiba stream and then transferred to raised beds or covered solar dryers for drying. The drying process takes 7 to 14 days, with workers frequently turning the beans and covering them during the hottest part of the day to ensure even drying and prevent defects.