Within the Kiambu County, at the heart of the Central Highlands of Kenya, is the Kirura Factory, or wet mill. Around 800 smallholder producers in this region contribute coffee cherries to the mill and belong to the Komothai Cooperative Society.

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The Kirura Factory was created in 1988 and is one of many working with the Komothai Cooperative Society producers.

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With varying altitudes between 1,800 and 1,950 meters above sea level, this region is defined by its bright red soils, full of rich nutrients for coffee trees. The high altitudes allow for ideal temperatures and rainfall for the slow maturation of coffee cherries. Smallholders grow coffee on small plots of land and pick the cherries during harvest to deliver to the mill. There are two harvests in the Kiambu County, the main one occurs between October and December, with an additional fly harvest between April and July.

About Kenya

Kenya produces more coffee than any other country in Africa. It accounts for around 20% of its export. Coffee is grown in the central and western parts of the country, between October and December. Its combination of unique soil, climate and altitude gives it great conditions for growing coffee, producing beans with bright flavours and wine-like acidity.

Kenya is a big tea-growing country too, and most of the tea that it exports goes to Britain.

Some non-related coffee facts about Kenya are;

It has 50 national parks and reserves, there are over 60 languages spoken in Kenya, and it’s the world’s leading destination for safaris. The first woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize (in 2004) was from Kenya. Wangari Muta Maathai was a Kenya environmental, social and political activists, who won the prize in 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.