Karinga

Country: Kenya
Region: Kiambu
Altitude: 1840masl
Producer: Gitwe Farmers Cooperative Society & Karinga Factory
Process: Washed
Variety: Batian, SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11
Taste: Tangy, citrus, apple

The Karinga Factory, established in 1983, is operated by the Gitwe Farmers Cooperative Society. Around 650 member farmers contribute cherries to the facility, cultivating coffee alongside other crops on an average of 1 hectare each. Farmers deliver their cherries immediately after picking for sorting and processing—depulping followed by 12–24 hours of fermentation, four rounds of washing, and finally 8–13 days drying on raised beds. Although the factory has partnered with Coffee Management Services (CMS) to boost production, expansion has been limited due to local preference for tea cultivation over coffee. The cooperative's field committee supports members by sourcing seeds and seedlings from the Coffee Research Center, offering fertilizer guidance, conducting farm visits, and inspecting whether coffee is properly intercropped with crops such as beans and corn. We have bought from the Gitwe Farmers Co-Operative and the Karinga factory several times now.