Kangocho

The Kangocho processing station is owned by the Gikanda Farmers Cooperative Society and is located near the town of Karatina in Nyeri County. Nyeri lies in central Kenya, southwest of Mount Kenya, along with the neighbouring Kirinyaga and Embu it is the home of Kenya’s most complex coffees. During harvest, approximately 800 small producers deliver their crops to Kangocho, where the coffee cherries are immediately sorted and separated according to various criteria. Since clean water is of great value, the water used for washing and fermenting is purified so that it can be reused later. Upon reception, cherries are de-pulped and then fermented the following night. Fermentation is a microbial process, during which various wild yeasts and bacteria help break down the slimy, sugary layer attached to the fruit seeds. This is followed by repeated washing and drying for 9-13 days.