The Thirikwa FCS has been turning heads with record-breaking auction prices at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. Members of the cooperative have also been celebrating with higher prices earned per pound for cherry- 10 times the average price paid for cherry and the highest prices paid anywhere in Kenya. The Thirikwa Cooperative Society is located in Mt. Kenya’s Upper Medium (or UM2) zone. Around 1,200 farmers deliver their cherries at this factory during the season’s peak. Together, they produce about 4,100 bags (60kg) annually- roughly 55,000lbs. Farmers handpick ripe cherries and deliver them to the Gakuyu-ini mill for processing the same day. Gakuyu-ini opened in 1997 and is the only factory of the Thirikwa society. With the harvest coming from small parcels, cherry classification is the most critical variable for ensuring cup quality. Small plots and high prices per pound give these producers more control to strategically pick and deliver only the ripest cherry to the factory.
Cherry sorting is carried out at the mill before pulping, and ripe cherries are separated from underripes, overripes, and foreign matter. The parchment is then fermented overnight before being washed and graded into P1, P2, P3, P lights, and pods. The P1 and P2 are soaked for around 16 hours, while the other grades are moved directly to the drying tables. After that, it is dried on the drying tables for 8-14 days. The mill uses clean river water from the Kiri river to process and recirculate it before disposing of it in seepage pits. Gakuyu-ini is about 130km from Nairobi and is represented by five elected management committee members.
Grab a bag of this floral and juicy coffee today and enjoy this sparkling gem from Kenya.
#FarmToCup #KenyaAA
Customer Comments
“Good coffee, quick shipping.” -C.C.
“Every coffee we have tried has been so, so good!!!” -L.H.
“I have always received prompt shipping, and the coffee tastes great! Have never gotten a bag that I didn’t enjoy.” -T.V.