PINAPPLE • FLORAL • TART
Literally a stones through from the Nyeri-Kirinyaga boarder is Gatina Coffee Factory. Together with four other factories; Kagumoini, Kiamabara, Kieni and Gathuga, it belongs to the Mugaga Farmers Cooperative Society. Its membership currently stands at 681 which 527 are active farmers while 154 are inactive farmers. The factory has 3 representatives in the Coops management committee.
The long term goal for Gatina & Mugaga FCS is to increase coffee production through farmer training, input access, Good Agricultural Practice seminars, and a sustainable farming handbook that's updated and distributed annually." Our wish is to establish a transparent, trust based relationship with the farmer, helping to support a sustained industry growth in Kenya, whilst bringing premium quality to our customers, and premium prices to the farmers."
Due to the large volume Gatina produces and the nature of the land it resides on (along narrow corridor a top a hill) the movement of cherry is a lot more involved than most other factories. Coffee is received, sorted, pulped, fermented and washed at the base of the hill. It's then pumped or carried to the highest corner of the hill where the drying beds start.
An increase in parchment truck security has seen theft move from the roads to the hills with factories in Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Morang'a seeing increasing amounts of wet parchment theft. To combat this, Gatina has recently built a security tower that oversees the factories extensive grounds. On top of this they have a number of farmers that give up time to patrol the boarders. Thanks to the extra efforts of farmers in the 2016 & 2017 Gatina, sitting in what has been a hot spot for such thievery, did not had any issues with theft.
Origin: Kenya
Region: Mathira East Division, Nyeri County
Farm: 681 smallholders
Variety: SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11 and Batian
Altitude: 1818 masl
Proc. Method: Washed