Kenya - Karinga AA

Cultivars: SL28, SL34 

Producer: 500 member farmers

Origin: Kiambu - Kenya

Process: Washed

The Karinga washing station was established in 1983 and is located in the Thika District in the Central Province in Kenya. The washing station sits at an altitude of approximately 1800masl and occupies 5 hectares of land. The Karinga co-operative has around 500 active members with small farms in the surrounding areas.  This area is more well-known for tea cultivation but there are great coffee producers in this area as well.  The area has red volcanic soil and a high bimodal rainfall pattern averaging about 1500mm annually.

At Karinga they are  mainly processing SL28 and SL 34 which are making up more than 99% of the volume. After the coffee cherries have been delivered to the co-op they sort them by hand and float them to remove defects. The coffee is then de-pulped and fermented over night. The following day the coffee gets washed and then left to soak under water. Lastly it is carefully rinsed and spread in thin layers on raised drying tables.

The factory has implemented environmentally friendly practices, including the construction of five wastewater soak pits located away from the water sources. These allow wastewater to safely percolate back into the soil. Karinga Coop supports local farmers with training and there is access to financing.