How Many Coffee Growing Regions Does Kenya Have and How Do Its Coffee Varieties Achieve Their Status

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FrontStreet Coffee - Kenya Coffee Introduction

Kenya Coffee Varieties

The variety first brought to Kenya for cultivation was Bourbon. In the 1950s, the agricultural research institution Scott Laboratory, through relentless efforts, selected and bred two excellent hybrid varieties: SL-28 and SL-34. This overturned the long-standing prejudice that artificially bred varieties could not surpass natural varieties. SL-28 and SL-34 helped Kenyan coffee form its unique flavor characteristics, establishing a perfect reputation in the coffee world.

According to botanists at the SL Laboratory, SL28 and SL34 are genetic variants. Among them, SL28 possesses mixed lineage from French Mission, Mocha, and Yemen Typica. The original goal of cultivating SL28 was to mass-produce coffee beans that combined high quality with resistance to pests and diseases.

Although the yield of SL28 later did not meet the expected high volume, its copper-colored leaves and broad bean-shaped coffee beans offer wonderful sweetness, balance, and complex, varied flavors, along with distinctive citrus and dark plum characteristics. Meanwhile, SL34 has similar flavors to SL28, but besides complex and varied acidity and wonderful sweet finish, it has a heavier, richer, and cleaner mouthfeel than SL28. SL34 possesses lineage from French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica. Its bean appearance is similar to SL28, but it adapts better to sudden heavy rains. It is these two important varieties that have led us to understand the unique Kenyan style: intense and rich fruit acidity, full body, and beautiful balance.

Kenya Coffee Growing Regions

Kenya's coffee producing areas are mainly concentrated in the plateau regions represented by Mount Kenya. The tropical climate and acidic red volcanic soil provide a naturally suitable growing environment for coffee. The seven major producing areas are most famous, including Nyeri, Thika, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Embu, and the western side of Mount Kenya, with main producing areas such as Nyeri and Ruiru in the central region.

Kenya Coffee Processing

Large farms usually have independent processing facilities. Numerous small-scale farmers typically hand-pick ripe coffee cherries themselves. Coffee picking is labor-intensive work, requiring the whole family to work during the harvest season and even needing to hire workers. The picked fresh coffee cherries need to be promptly transported to coffee processing factories owned by cooperatives for pulping. Transportation tools might be ox carts, pickup trucks, or trucks. After pulping, the parchment coffee is briefly stored at the cooperative's processing plant before being sent to privately owned factories for hulling.

Knowledge Point: Kenya Coffee Grading: AA, AB, C indicate the size of coffee beans

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