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Kenya Washed Coffee Cultivation and Processing Flavor Characteristics Introduction to Gikirima Coffee Washing Station

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Africa once dominated the global coffee market, with African countries occupying four of the world's top ten coffee-producing nations during peak production periods. Today, African coffee beans continue to shine in the competitive world coffee market. Kenya is one of the largest specialty coffee exporters on the African continent. FrontStreet Coffee invites everyone to explore the cultivation and processing of Kenyan coffee together. The GIKIRIMA factory is located in Mount Kenya

Africa once dominated the global coffee market, with African countries accounting for four of the world's top ten coffee-producing nations during peak production periods. Today, African coffee beans continue to shine in the competitive world coffee market. Kenya stands as one of the largest specialty coffee exporters on the African continent. FrontStreet Coffee invites everyone to explore the cultivation and processing of Kenyan coffee.

The GIKIRIMA Factory

The GIKIRIMA Factory is located on the slopes of Mount Kenya, in a region that boasts ideal conditions for coffee cultivation. This area experiences two rainy seasons, resulting in two harvest periods. The main crop is harvested from October to December, while the fly crop is harvested from April to June: 80% of the coffee is picked during the main crop period, with 20% picked during the fly crop period. Small farmers from the surrounding areas only harvest ripe cherries and deliver them to Gikirima, where they are depulped and fermented overnight in tanks. The coffee is then washed and placed on raised drying beds, where it remains for an average of 7-15 days, depending on weather conditions. The coffee is frequently turned and sorted during drying.

GIKIRIMA is the name of the washing station owned and operated by 1,050 members of the Kibugu Co-Op Society. Cultivated on the southeastern slopes of Mount Kenya, farmers deliver their coffee to Gikirima for weighing, processing, and washing. The coffee is washed on the day of delivery and then slowly dried with constant sorting to avoid defects. The cooperative grows a mix of SL28 and SL34 coffee varieties, alongside other crops including tea, bananas, and corn. The cooperative also facilitates increased farmer wages to help cover children's education expenses in the community.

The Gikirima Factory is situated in the Manyata division of Embu County, near Gicherori town, 14 kilometers from Embu's city center. It operates under the Kibugu Farmers Cooperative Society along with Kathakwa, Ndunduri, Ngerwe, and Gicherori factories. Gikirima Factory now has 1,050 active members, with each member owning approximately 1 hectare of land on average for coffee cultivation, while also growing tea, macadamia nuts, beans, bananas, and corn. The region sits at an altitude of 1,800 meters with deep, well-drained, fertile red volcanic soil and receives 1,900 millimeters of annual rainfall. The factory's smallholder members have access to training and technical assistance, as well as advances for agricultural inputs and school fees.

Kenyan coffee drying process at Gikirima

Coffee is carefully selected by smallholder members and then delivered to the Kamunyaka factory for pulping.

Gikirima has a long-term goal of increasing coffee production and establishing transparent, trust-based relationships with smallholder farmers through farmer training, agricultural practice workshops, and providing updated printed reference materials on sustainable agriculture. For example, let's take this coffee bean numbered 11837: