Kenya, Rungeto FCS, Issue 01

From the Highlands of Kirinyaga

In the highlands of Kirinyaga, Kenya, coffee cultivation is shaped by altitude, fertile soils, seasonal rainfall, and the collective efforts of a farming community. Here, between 1,600 and 1,800 metres above sea level, the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society brings together approximately 1,400 farmers.

Clay loam soils, average annual rainfall of 1,400 millimetres, and an average temperature of 20.5°C form the setting for SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11. Flowering typically takes place from February to March, with harvest following between October and December.

At the heart of this story is the Kiangoi washing station. Following the liquidation of the former Ngiriama Cooperative Society, whose assets included coffee-processing facilities, Kiangoi reopened for coffee processing in 1997. Rungeto FCS now reports annual production of approximately 1,200 bags of 60 kilograms.

A process shaped by patience

Once the cherries arrive, they are sorted before pulping. The parchment ferments overnight, then is washed and graded into P1, P2, P3, P lights, and pods. Finally, it dries on tables for approximately eight to fourteen days. This fully washed process depends on careful handling at every stage, from sorting through drying.

Investing in what comes next

Rungeto FCS has introduced practical improvements across its processing facilities. Tiled washing channels and fermentation tanks support processing quality; water used for processing is reused; and longer-lasting metal drying tables help reduce repair costs. These choices connect coffee quality with more durable infrastructure and resource management.

The seasonal shipping window typically runs from March through April. The producer sheet lists CAFE as the certification body. Behind this coffee is a cooperative, a washing station with a history of renewal, and the work of farmers whose harvest moves through a carefully managed process before reaching the cup.