Igutha Factory AA, Kenya
Roaster's Notes:
Having not had a Kenyan since 2023 we are so happy to welcome this coffee to the line up.
Bringing sweetness of refined sugar and dark fruits with the most noticeable being blackcurrant. Think of Rowntree's fruit pastilles - the purple one!
Roast Style: Light Medium
Farm: Various
Varietals: SL34, Ruira, SL 28 & Batian
Processing: Fully washed
Altitude: 1,600 metres above sea level
Owner: 700 smallholder farmers
Region: Nyeri County
Country: Kenya
Total size of farm: Less than 1 hectare
Additional info
Kenya is home to nearly 700,000 coffee producers, about 70% of whom are smallholders, making it a unique coffee-producing country in East Africa.
In the Mukurweini District of Nyeri County, about 170 km north of Nairobi, sits the Igutha Factory, nestled between Mt. Kenya and the Aberdare ranges.
The Factory is part of the Rugi Farmer Cooperative Society (FCS), established in 2005—the same year Igutha was built. Today, Rugi FCS has 6,500 members, with around 700 delivering cherries to Igutha.
The region’s nutrient-rich soils and plentiful rainfall create ideal conditions for coffee cultivation. Farmers deliver cherries to the Factory, where they are sorted, weighed, and processed, with payment made based on weight.
Rugi FCS was formed after a cooperative split and prioritises services to members. Its goals include:
Factory managers receive annual training in sustainable practices and quality control.
At Igutha Factory, processing follows strict quality-driven methods:
handpicked and delivered the same day.
Cherry Clerk, who records deliveries and payments.
‘Mbuni’ natural coffee, which earns a very low price.
This system strongly incentivises farmers to deliver only the ripest cherries, ensuring high quality and consistency.