Kenya washed Arabica AA Top, Karogoto

Unshipped
Quantity Available: 21 GrainPro bags of 60kg
SKU
103733.5-1807
More Information
Unit of Measure GrainPro bags of 60kg
Status Unshipped
Warehouse At Origin
Bag Type Grain Pro
Crop 24/25
Batch 103733.5
Variety SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian
Region Nyeri
Process Washed
Grade AA Top
Producer Karogoto Coffee Factory

Coffee was first introduced to Kenya in the 1890s when French missionaries brought Bourbon seeds from the island of Réunion. Today, coffee cultivation in the East African nation covers a total area of 160,000 hectares. Kenya is the fifth-largest coffee producer in Africa and is globally recognized as a leading specialty coffee origin.

In Kenya, coffee is grown by both large estates and smallholder farmers, who often join cooperatives. Most of its specialty coffee production is concentrated in the central region, where this coffee comes from. The Karogoto Coffee Factory is located in Nyeri, home to the extinct volcano Mt. Kenya. The factory operates under the Tekangu Farmers’ Cooperative Society, founded in 1998. Tekangu manages multiple mills, including Tegu, Karogoto, and Ngunguru, from which the cooperative takes its name. Approximately 1,500 smallholder farmers contribute to the factory, each cultivating around 0.5 hectares of farmland. Alongside coffee, these farmers also grow crops such as maize, bananas, beans, and macadamia for personal consumption or sale.

Moreover, the factory collaborates with a neighboring high school, providing students with practical education in coffee cultivation—an important initiative given the increasing average age of coffee producers in the region.

Farmers contributing to Karogoto primarily cultivate SL28 and SL34 coffee varieties, while some have also introduced newer hybrids like Ruiru 11 and Batian. The region’s well-drained red volcanic soil, rich in phosphorus, combined with an annual rainfall of approximately 1,500 mm and temperatures ranging from 12 to 27°C, provides ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality coffee.

The equator passes directly through this East African gem. Despite its tropical climate, Kenya experiences some nice cool-offs through the Indian Ocean and Lake Victoria. Flat savannahs home to an abundance of wildlife rise to central highlands, peaked by Mount Kenya at 5,199 m. It is here, where lush slopes are turned into fertile farmlands, creating ideal conditions for cofThe equator runs right through this pearl of East Africa. Despite its tropical climate, Kenya is cooled by the Indian Ocean and Lake Victoria. From the flat savannahs with their diverse flora and fauna rise the highlands, whose highest peak is Mount Kenya at 5,199 meters. Here, where the lush slopes give way to fertile farmland, the coffee plant thrives.

The combination of red volcanic soil, high altitudes, and an ideal climate have a decisive impact on the fruity, nearly juicy aromas characterizing these coffees. Due to its geographical location on the equator, there is only little distinction between the different seasons in Kenya.

As opposed to its neighbor Ethiopia, coffee cultivation is relatively new to the county and only started in the early 1900s. Today, agriculture is the major contributor to Kenya's GDP, among which coffee ranks third behind tea and horticultural produce. The total area under coffee cultivation in Kenya is estimated at 160,000 hectares.

Plantations make up about one-third of the area. However, the largest part of the land is used by smallholder farmers who assign themselves to cooperatives. Coffee is mostly sold via auctions that take place weekly during harvesting season. Pricing between buyer and seller is defined by cup quality and grading, depending on the bean size. Coffee beans screened above 17/18 are named "AA" and are the biggest of their kind. The added "Top" or "Plus" refers to the cup profile.

 

CONTINENTAfrica
COFFEE REGIONSMt. Kenya, Murang'a, Meru, Kiambu
COFFEE ALTITUDES1,200 – 2,300 masl.
VARIETIESSL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, Batian
HARVEST PERIODOct – Feb (Main Crop), Jun – Aug (Fly Crop)
COFFEE FARMSSmallholders and plantations
AVERAGE FARM SIZE0.5 – 5.5 ha
YEARLY PRODUCTION (IN 60KG BAGS)844,000 
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