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

Origin Information

Region: Nyeri, Kenya

Processing Method: Natural

Altitude: 1700-1950 meters

Varieties: SL28, SL34

Grade: AA

Regional Introduction

Kenya is located in eastern Africa, adjacent to coffee's birthplace, Ethiopia.

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

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 quite large cooperative.

The Othaya FCS operates 19 processing factories, including Kamoini, Gatugi, Ichamama, and others.

To increase production 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 (such as Batian) for cultivation trials.

Furthermore, the Othaya FCS has its own cultivation technology and marketing certifications, allowing them to trade directly with international markets. They are also a member of the Kenya Cooperative Coffee Exporters (KCCE), which means they can export coffee directly under KCCE's name without going through NCE bidding sessions.

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

Processing Method

This particular coffee uses the natural processing method, which is relatively uncommon for Kenyan coffee.

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

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

This natural processed Kenya coffee is of the SL28 and SL34 varieties. The green beans appear yellowish and have a fresh apple fragrance and grassy aroma.

SL28 and SL34 are very common varieties in Kenyan coffee. SL28 has a mixed lineage of French Mission, Mocha, and Yemen Typica. The original goal in developing SL28 was to produce high-quality coffee beans in large quantities that could also resist pests and diseases.

SL34 has similar flavors to SL28, but with a heavier and cleaner mouthfeel in addition to complex, varied acidity and excellent sweet finish. SL34 has French Mission, Bourbon, and more Typica lineage. The beans look similar to SL28 but are better adapted to sudden heavy rainfall.

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