Kenya Nyeri Premium Coffee Kenya Othaya Cooperative Sun-Dried Process

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FrontStreet Coffee - Kenya Othaya FCS Chinga Factory Natural

Kenya Othaya FCS Chinga Factory Natural

Region: Nyeri, Kenya

Processing Method: Natural

Altitude: 1700-1950 meters

Varieties: SL28, SL34

Grade: AA

Region Introduction

Kenya is located in eastern Africa, adjacent to Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee.

In Kenya, coffee producers can be broadly divided into two categories: large estates and small farmers. However, regardless of whether they are large estates or small farmers, processed coffee beans are sent to the official Coffee Board for grading and auction: the Coffee Board sends samples of green beans to be auctioned to interested buyers and conducts auctions every Tuesday in the capital Nairobi (the NCE auction).

This natural processed Kenya comes from the Chinga Factory of the Othaya FCS in the Nyeri region.

The Othaya FCS is located in the town of Othaya in the Nyeri region and was established in 1956. Currently, it has approximately 14,000 members, making it a rather large cooperative.

The Othaya FCS has 19 factories under its management, including Kamoini, Gatugi, Ichamama, and others.

To improve production yield and quality, Othaya applies for grants from the World Bank to hire consultants for agronomy and harvesting training. They also have their own nursery and laboratory, continuously developing new coffee varieties (e.g., Batian) for cultivation trials.

Moreover, the Othaya FCS has its own cultivation technology and marketing certifications, enabling them to trade directly with the international market. They are also a member of the Kenya Cooperative Coffee Exporters (KCCE), allowing them to export coffee directly under the KCCE name without going through the NCE auction.

The Chinga Factory was established in 1960 and is one of the factories under the Othaya FCS, processing coffee cherries from approximately 600 small farmers in the vicinity.

Processing Method

This particular bean uses the relatively rare natural processing method in Kenya.

Premium natural processing typically requires 2-4 weeks or even longer, depending on weather conditions and desired flavor expression. During drying, careful attention must be paid to avoid excessive temperatures while also preventing mold growth or off-flavors from over-fermentation.

The natural processing transforms Kenya coffee's originally bright acidity into rich, complex fruit acidity notes.

This natural processed Kenya coffee is of the SL28 and SL34 varieties. The green beans appear yellowish in color and have the aroma of fresh apples and grass.

SL28 and SL34 can be said to be very common varieties in Kenyan coffee. SL28 has mixed heritage from French Mission, Mocha, and Yemeni Typica. The original goal of cultivating SL28 was to mass-produce coffee beans that combined high quality with resistance to pests and diseases.

SL34 has similar flavor characteristics to SL28, but with a heavier, richer body and cleaner finish, in addition to complex, varied acidity and excellent sweet aftertaste. SL34 has French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica heritage. While similar in appearance to SL28, it is better adapted to sudden heavy rains.

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