KENYA KAGANDA PB
General Information
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Origin: Kenya
County: Muranga Cooperative: Kaganda Farmers Coorperative Society Washing Station: Kaganda Factory Farmers: 1050 active members (420 female, 630 male) Cultivar:SL28 - SL34 Altitude: 1800 masl Process: Fully washed with double fermentation Harvest: November 2023 - January 2024 Cherry Price | FOB Price: 5,95 USD/kg | 9,92 USD/Kg Screen | Moisture | Density: 15-16 | 10.4% | 0.706 g/ml Packaging: 30 Kg VP box Score: 86.5 Notes: Pineapple, peach, lemon, orange |
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TRACEABILITYKaganda is a washing station in Muranga County, Central Kenya Province. In Kenya, these stations are called factories. This region, like the Nyeri district, is renowned for its complex, flavorful, and intense coffees. Owned by the Kaganda Farmers Cooperative Society, the factory has about 1,050 independent smallholder farmers as its members. It was established in 1970 and is situated on a 5-acre land serving the villages of Gathiru, Gathaithi, Gathambara, Gatuongo, and Kagaa. Similar to other major coffee-producing areas of Kenya like Nyeri and Embu, farmers in this area grow other crops alongside coffee trees, such as macadamia, bananas, maize, and beans.
In Kenya, farmers use a unique double-fermentation washing process for their coffee. The washed coffee is known for its distinct flavours and attributes. In this process, natural fermentation weakens the sugars in the coffee's mucilage. The fermentation can be done by either stacking the coffee in a concrete tank without water or by placing it under water and letting nature take its course. Once the sugars are weakened, the coffee beans can be washed in concrete channels to remove any extra sugars or mucilage. During wet processing, the pulp is mechanically removed. The remaining mesocarp, known as mucilage, sticks to the parchment and needs to be removed before drying. Because the mucilage does not dissolve in water and sticks strongly to the parchment, it cannot be removed by simple washing. There are two methods to remove the mucilage: fermentation followed by washing or using demucilaginous machines for strong friction. The method and supervision of fermentation are crucial in determining the quality of the final coffee product. The coffee cherries were hand-selected by farmers before being processed. After removing the skin, the coffee was placed in fermentation tanks where it was stored, washed, soaked, and spread out on drying tables. It is necessary to turn the coffee frequently on the tables until it reaches the desired humidity level of 11-12%. Finally, the coffee is stored in its parchment to rest until it is delivered to the dry mill. HOW DO WE SOURCE OUR COFFEES?We have lost count of the number of cupping sessions involved in the coffee selection process in Kenya. This process lasts several months and includes a series of quality control measures. In simple terms, the coffees we select undergo five main selection procedures before reaching your roastery.
Journey to Origin: This process begins with a visit to cooperatives and a meeting with coffee producers and exporters at origin. Two trips are made; one during the harvest, where no cupping takes place, and another approximately a month when the harvest ends. During this last trip, we cupped around 500 samples per week, which is a pretty intense process. Here the pre-selection is carried out. Offer Samples: Producers, cooperatives or exporters send us samples of the lots that we have pre-selected at origin. This is beneficial because it allows us to analyze a smaller number of samples in the comfort of our laboratory in Budapest. Once we have made our final selection and are satisfied with it, we proceed to sign the contract. PSS stands for pre-shipment samples. After signing the contract, the coffee producer processes each lot and sends a sample to our laboratory for quality control confirmation before shipping. Arrival samples. Once the coffee arrives at our warehouse in Barcelona and passes all the necessary customs and phytosanitary regulations, we will take representative samples from each of the lots and analyze them again. This is to ensure that the coffee has arrived in perfect condition. We will test and examine the samples carefully to ensure that they meet our quality standards. The final stage of our selection process involves sending coffee samples to your roastery. This stage culminates with your cupping and selection of the coffee. Our aim is to provide you and your customers with the opportunity to enjoy the richness of our selection. We hope that you will appreciate the quality of our coffee and that it will enhance your business. THE MYTHS OF KENYAN COFFEE1.- There is a misconception that Kenyan coffees are too acidic and unsuitable for use in espresso or milk-based drinks. However, this is simply not true. The acidity level of a coffee can be controlled by adjusting the roast profile. Although some coffees have a higher natural acidity, this can always be reduced by roasting if necessary.
2.- It's common to hear that Kenyan coffees have a specific flavour profile that includes red fruits, blackcurrants, and winey notes. However, this is just a myth. In reality, there is a wide range of flavours that can be discovered in Kenyan coffees, including floral, chocolate and elegant notes that are influenced by the variety of the coffee and the location where it's grown, rather than the origin in general. 3.- There is a popular myth about the new Ruiru 11 coffee variety. The truth is that Ruiru 11 is not as good as the SL varieties. However, most of the Ruiru coffee grown in Kenya is now grafted with SL28 roots. This is because the SL28 roots are longer than those of the original Ruiru, which has a Catimor genetic component. Grafting the Ruiru plant with SL28 roots allows it to access more nutrients from deep in the volcanic soil of Kenya, which ultimately improves its quality. 4.- Finally, there is a common myth that farmers do not drink coffee, but prefer tea. While there is some truth in this statement, it is mainly due to British colonial influence. Today, Kenyan farmers actively enjoy coffee and even cup it. |
WHY FARMERS ARE ABANDONING COFFEE?
KAGANDA FACTORY LOCATION
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WHERE WE ARE
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