Kenya Kirinyaga Ngugu-Ini

Farm Approx 1200 small holder farmers
Lot Name Kirinyaga Ngugu-Ini
Washing Station Ngugu-Ini Factory
Region Kirinyaga
Province Central Province
Community Kirinyaga

Sun Exposure Mixed shade
Farm Size 1-2ha on average
Altitude 1600m
Latitude -0.524033
Longitude 37.186317

Variety Ruiru 11, SL 28, SL 34 and Batian
Process Washed
Fermentation 18-24 hour process in fermentation tanks
Drying 12-20 days on African beds

Harvest Year 2023/24

Flavor Blackcurrant, Blood Orange, Dried Fruit, Molasses
Descriptors Juicy, Sweet, Coating

About this coffee The Ngugu-Ini factory, established in 1958, is a cornerstone of its local coffee community, processing cherries from approximately 1,200 active members. Sitting high, at 1,600 meters above sea level, the area benefits from nutrient-rich red volcanic soils, which contribute to the high-quality coffee it produces.

Kirinyaga Ngugu-Ini Washing Station lies in central Kirinyaga County, within the buffer zone of Mount Kenya National Park, about two hours from Nairobi. South of Mount Kenya, Africa's second-highest snow-capped peak (5,199 masl), the county benefits significantly from its glaciers, which feed key rivers like Sagana, Thiba, and Nyamindi. These rivers provide essential water for coffee processing and help maintain the region’s favorable annual temperatures of 13–25°C.

The indigenous people, the Kikuyu, make up the majority of the population in Kirinyaga. Most farms are small (1–2 hectares) and managed by adults while children attend fee-based schools, limiting access to education in this impoverished region. The economy relies heavily on coffee, alongside tea, macadamia, bananas, corn, and dairy farming. The lack of opportunities outside of agriculture drives many people to migrate to cities, often leaving their parents behind or abandoning family farms—a growing issue each year.

Like much of east Africa, coffee growers in the area deliver their cherries to washing stations which acts as a central processing facility. Here is where they sort out defective cherries before using disc pulpers to remove the outer layers and then grading the coffee into three density grades. Grades 1 and 2 proceed to fermentation, while Grade 3, considered low grade, is handled separately. Coffees are dry-fermented in concrete tanks for 18–24 hours, then washed, regraded by density, and soaked in clean water for up to 24 hours. Drying takes 12–20 days, depending on weather.