GATAGUA Murang'a

Farmer: Gatagua farmers co-op (~845 members)

Origin:  Murang’a, Central Kenya

Altitude: ~1800m

Process: Washed

Varietal: SL28+SL34

Roast Level: light

Notes: Lemon curd, cranberry, lingonberry, jasmine, vanilla frosting

Soooooo, one morning we got a Whatsapp message from a friend saying, "buddy, someone just 86'd their position with us for this awesome Kenyan and we're looking for a home for it. Any interest?" & of course, you don't have to threaten us with a good time ; )

We jumped on it because of the great reputation of the people, & obviously opening new doors in a region we don't have THAT many contacts in, it seemed like a no brainer. Anyway, worked out cuz this is such a nice coffee! tart & juicy, a great example. of a classic kenyan we want to drink into the fall & winter months.

Gatagua means “gathering” in Kikuyu, a local Bantu language. The cooperative was formed by 3 cooperatives that split off from another cooperative and “gathered” together to form a new cooperative society. The farmers in Gatagua FCS struggled for years with low yields and poor quality, but their partnership with Kahawa Bora beginning in 2019 has helped them improve yields and quality while increasing the prices their members receive for cherry.

With help from, Kahawa Bora, Gatagua provides training to farmers in improved pruning, cultivation and harvesting methods. Kahawa Bora’s field staff have also performed soil analysis on members’ plots to inform correct input application, which helps improve yields and quality while reducing cost and environmental impact. This focus on high quality at all stages of cultivation and processing has increased cup scores from 85 to 87-88+ in a short period of time, while also nearly quadrupling their total production.