Gatomboya is one of the four washing stations in the Barichu Farmers Cooperative Society of 4000 smallholder coffee producers. Gatomboya specifically services around a quarter of those. Barichu is known for taking good care of its member producers and the nearby community. The Cooperative Society built a coffee shop on the factory grounds that services travelers on the nearby road. The income of this shop helps lower the overhead costs for the management of the cooperative and factories. The washing station lies close to Karatina town in Nyeri county. Nyeri coffee is well-known for its great quality and intense, complex flavour profiles. Slightly over 80% of all coffee production in Nyeri comes from smallholder farmers. The majority of them make up the county’s 23 different cooperative societies.
Country of Origin
Kenya
Region
Nyeri
Producer Type
Washing Station
Farm Name
Various smallholders
Wet Mill
Gatomboya Coffee Factory
Co-Op
Barichu Farmers Cooperative Society
Processing
Washed
Processing Description
Sun-dried on raised beds
Growing Altitude
1800m
Harvest Season
2022/23
Bag Weight
60 KG BAG
Bag Type
Grain Pro / Ecotact
Plant Species
Arabica
Variety
SL28, SL34
History of Coffee in Kenya
It seems likely that coffee grew wild within the region that would become Kenya, buried deep inside impenetrable forests, or perhaps hiding in plain site; but it wasn’t until 1895 that missionaries both protestant and catholic attempted to grow coffee for commercial purposes. The 100 seeds from Reunion Island that would serve as progenitors to the Kenyan coffee industry arrived on a train, carried by priests belonging to an order known as “Holy Ghost Fathers.” On August 12th, 1899, they arrived at the spot that would quickly become the country’s capital city. One of the early protestant medical missionaries was Dr. Henry Scott. After his death in 1911, a new hospital complex was named after Dr. Scott and when the department of agriculture took over the complex in 1923 they kept the name: Scott Agricultural Laboratories, or “Scott Labs.” This is the origin of the “SL” in SL28 and other coffee varieties selected at the lab.
Growing Coffee in Kenya
Coffee is grown through the highland regions of Kenya, including Kisii, Nyanza, and Bungoma in the west; Nakuru and Kericho in the Great Rift Valley; Machakos, Embu, and Meru to the east of Mt. Kenya; and the Taita hills near the coast. The largest and oldest coffee growing areas are the central highlands, particularly Nyeri, sandwiched between the foothills of Mt Kenya to the east and the Aberdare mountain range to the west. Most coffee in Kenya is grown between 4,500 and 6,500 feet. Nearly all of Kenya’s 700,000 coffee producers are small land holders belonging to cooperatives. Most common varieties in Kenya are Ruiru 11, SL28, SL34, and K7. SL34 and K7 were developed from heirloom bourbon known as “French Mission,” which was the primary variety grown prior to the 1930’s that can still be found today, as can Blue Mountain on some farms. Kenyan coffees are graded by screen size and while there are several grades, specialty coffee is AA, AB, or PB (peaberry), used in combination with quality grade FAQ or FAQ Plus (Fair Average Quality).
