Mtaro

Mtaro Estate is located in the Juja district of Kiambu County, about 40 kilometres from Nairobi. The nearly 350-hectare plantation lies at the foot of the Aberdare mountain range at an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level. Of the 350 hectares, 200 hectares are used for coffee cultivation; the remaining area is covered with native vegetation protected by a reforestation program. The plantation is currently owned by Coffee Management Services Ltd (CMS), a large agricultural company that is responsible for the processing and marketing of about 25% of the Kenyan crop each year. Coffee trees are replaced every five years to achieve high productivity, as young plants have a higher yield and are less susceptible to plant diseases. In addition to cyclical renewal, several good agricultural practices are used, such as pruning or mulching. The crop is processed according to strict quality assurance rules, with great attention paid to fermentation and drying. Thanks to CMS's management, the plantation obtained certifications such as UTZ, 4C, CAFÉ Practices, and Rainforest Alliance.