The Kii Factory is 1 of 3 mills owned and operated by the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society, alongside Kiangoi and Karimikui. Established in 1953, the cooperative supports thousands of producers farming small plots of around 1 hectare at 1700-1900 masl, where coffee is typically grown alongside crops for household use. Around 850 of these smallholders contribute cherry to the Kii Factory, located in Embu, Kirinyaga, on the fertile slopes of Mount Kenya. Its namesake, the nearby Kii river, provides water for the community and for coffee processing.
During harvest, handpicked cherries are delivered to the Kii Factory. Here they are pulped and graded by density in water, and then fermented, washed, and cleaned to remove any remaining mucilage. The parchment is then soaked in clean water before being transferred to raised drying tables. Drying begins in thin, even layers to remove surface moisture, before careful turning and monitoring over several days until the desired moisture content is reached. This lot is graded as AA, referring to the larger bean size selection that Kenya is known for, often associated with clarity and striking cup structure. Kirinyaga has become one of Kenya’s most recognised coffee-producing regions, known for its disciplined processing methods and strong cooperative networks. Factories like Kii play a central role in maintaining quality, and we have been buying their vibrant, unmistakable coffees since 2018.
About this coffee
- Taste
- Blackcurrant, Orange Blossom, Golden Syrup
- Origin
- Kenya
- Region
- Kirinyaga
- Varietal
- SL28, SL34, Ruiru-11
- Process
- Washed
- Altitude
- 1700 - 1900 masl
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