SL34, SL28, Ruiru 11, Batian
Washed
Gachatha AA

Tastes Like: Grapefruit, Berries, Black Currant

Origin: Gachatha, Nyeri, Kenya

Variety: SL-34, SL-28, Ruiru-11, Batian

Producer: Gachatha F.C.S

Elevation: 1,820 masl

Process: Washed

About the Farm and the Coffee

Gachatha factory is operated by the Gachatha Farmers Cooperative Society and sits on 391 acres between the villages of Muthuaini, Thiriku, Gachenge, and Kianjau. It was built in 1963, and its current membership is about 1,050, with roughly 900 active members. The factory has nine permanent staff, and hires around 25 seasonal workers to oversee receipt and processing during the harvest season. Permanent staff is in charge of key roles such as receiving and weighing cherry, registering complaints and concerns, and managing farmer payments. The average farmer has about 300 coffee trees, on less than one hectare of land.

Farmers here typically grow other crops as well as coffee, as well. The area surrounding Gachatha is densely populated, which requires the factory to take particular precautions with regards to waste water and pollutants. The factory has soak pits for water treatment to avoid contamination with fresh-water sources, and the community takes care to preserve the indigenous plant life in the area, to protect local bird and animal species