Kii Factory

Description

A sweet and juicy cup with aromas of apricot, cane sugar, and nougat. When sipping, we found flavors of blood orange, rooibos tea, and caramel. Candied hazelnut sweetness pairs beautifully with apricot-like acidity. It finishes with notes of dark chocolate, prune, and sandalwood.

Details

Producer: Kii Factory
Farm: Smallholder Members of Rungeto Farmers Coop Society
Region: Kirinyaga
Altitude: 1,600-1,800 masl
Varietal: SL28, SL34
Process: Washed
Roast: Light-Medium
Notes: Blood Orange, Rooibos, Dark Chocolate

The Story

Rung’eto Farmers’ Cooperative Society—situated in the Central Province of Kenya in Kirinyaga County—was formed in 1997 to support the processing and marketing of specialty coffee from the local communities. The society has three factories: Kii, Karamikui, and Kiangoi.

Rung’eto has over 850 members, many of whom deliver cherry to Kii Factory. The factory itself was constructed in 1995 at the foot of Mt. Kenya. The Kii River, which runs nearby, gives the factory both its name and clean water for washing fine coffees.

The factory is majority-supported by women farmers, who each manage roughly 0.5 hectares of land and inter-crop coffee with avocados, macadamias, bananas, and subsistence crops.

Agronomists at Kii conduct regular farm visits, offering guidance on timing and application of treatments. In return, Kii receives outstanding cherries and farmers are rewarded well: Kii ranks among Kenya’s highest-paying cooperatives.

Text from PT's Coffee's listing.