MURARANDIA

Murarandia - Kenya

Origin: Kenya – Central Province (Murang’a, Kiharu)

Producer: New Murarandia FCS – 670+ small producers

Cultivars: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Batian

Altitude: 1,600 – 1,800 m

Process: Washed – dried on African beds

Harvest: May → July

Origin and Production

The Murarandia Factory, located in the town of Kiharu, in the Murang'a region, was established in 1997 and is operated by members of the New Murarandia Farmers Cooperative Society.

The Murang'a region is located south of Nyeri, on the temperate slopes of the Aberdare mountain range. The particularly fertile volcanic soil and the alternation between warm days and cool nights provide ideal conditions for coffee trees to grow, as well as for the slow development of cherries and the accumulation of sugars in the beans.

More than 670 farmers, operating plots with an average size of less than 1 hectare, deliver their coffee cherries to the Murarandia Factory. Coffee trees are generally grown alongside other vegetables, fruits, and fodder.

The FCS supports and trains producers to maintain quality and productivity while paying particular attention to sustainability and the adoption of good agricultural practices (pruning coffee trees, renewing rootstock, composting, etc.).

Harvesting is exclusively manual, and producers are encouraged to deliver only ripe cherries.

In Kenya, coffees are classified into different categories based on bean size to ensure the best possible homogeneity. This lot is an AB grade, meaning the beans measure approximately 6 to 7mm in diameter (screens 15 to 18).

Process

This coffee is produced using the Washed and Soaked process.
Upon arrival at the Murarandia station, the cherries are sorted both visually and by flotation to accept only ripe and dense cherries.

They are then de-pulped and left to ferment for 12 to 24 hours. Afterward, they are rinsed with clear water and soaked for an additional 12 hours.

This soaking process clarifies the cup by stopping any possible residual fermentation, thus enhancing the aromatic content and the quality of the acidity.

The beans are then laid out to dry on raised mesh beds. They are covered during the hottest part of the day to ensure slow and uniform drying, and at night to protect them from humidity. Additionally, workers regularly rake them to ensure even drying.
Drying typically takes between 14 and 18 days.