Coffee Production at Ngugu‑ini Factory – Kirinyaga, Kenya

1. Historical Background
The Ngugu‑ini Coffee Factory was founded in 1958 and is part of the Kibirigwi Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS), which comprises around eight factories in Kirinyaga County. Serving approximately 1,200 active smallholder farmers—as part of a larger network involving over 7,000 growers—Ngugu‑ini is a longstanding institution in Kenya’s cooperative coffee system.

2. Regional Context and Development
Located in Kirinyaga County, just west of Nyeri along the slopes of Mount Kenya, the factory sits at elevations typically between 1,600 and 1,650 meters above sea level. This high-altitude setting benefits from nutrient-rich volcanic soil, consistent rainfall, and moderate temperatures—ideal for cultivating dense and flavorful Arabica beans.

3. Processing Practices
Ngugu‑ini operates as a wet mill (washing station), where farmers bring ripe cherries for collective processing. The workflow includes:
Hand-sorting ripe cherries upon delivery
Mechanical pulping, followed by dry fermentation in concrete tanks for approximately 18–24 hours.
Washing and density grading, followed by optional soaking in fresh water for up to 24 hours to enhance clarity.
The factory is managed by trained staff who oversee sorting, grading, fermentation, weighing, producer payments, and even environmental safeguards (such as wastewater soak pits located away from freshwater sources).

4. Flavor Profile & Market Position
Ngugu‑ini coffees are deeply respected in the specialty coffee industry. Common tasting notes and descriptors include:
Tangy citrus flavors—mandarin, tangerine, grapefruit
Fruit notes—cranberry, dried cherry, blackberry
Sweet and complex structure—often described as syrupy, with hints of cardamom, Earl Grey, rosehip, and black tea.
SCA cupping scores frequently land in the mid-80s.
Cultivars typically include SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, and Batian, under fully washed processing protocols, falling into the AA grade category (the largest, most premium bean sizes).

5. Outlook and Significance
Ngugu‑ini remains a cornerstone of Kirinyaga’s coffee economy by offering:
A cooperatively managed processing facility delivering traceability, consistency, and quality
A platform for over a thousand smallholder farm families, enabling economies of scale and premium access
Capacity for high-quality coffees recognized globally for their clarity, fruit complexity, and bright acidity
Emerging challenges such as climate variability, aging trees, and generation transitions are being addressed through ongoing cooperative support, agronomy training, and the inherent strengths of Kenya’s cooperative wet-mill infrastructure.