Country: Kenya
Cooperative: Thiririka Farmers Cooperative Society
Factory: Githembe Factory
Producers: Approximately 1,500 smallholder farmers surrounding the factory
Region: Kiambu
Varieties: SL28, SL34, Batian, Ruiru 11
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1600–1800 m a.s.l.
Harvest season: 2024–2025

Githembe Coffee Factory (hereafter “Githembe”) is located in the coffee-growing region of Kiambu County, north of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. Built in 1969, the factory is one of three processing facilities operated by the Thiririka Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS), alongside Kiganjo Factory and Ndundu Factory, supporting coffee production throughout the region.

Situated at elevations between 1600 and 1800 meters, the area is home to approximately 1,500 smallholder farmers actively engaged in coffee cultivation. Thiririka FCS has around 2,400 registered members, including smallholder farmers, cooperative board members, factory managers, and staff, of whom about 1,500 are currently active.

The current factory manager previously spent approximately 15 years managing Ndundu Factory. Coffee grown in this area includes Kenya’s traditional varieties SL28 and SL34, as well as Batian, all planted using seeds certified by Kenya’s Coffee Research Institute (CRI). The factory holds CAFÉ Practices and Fairtrade (FLO) certifications.

Coffee in this region is cultivated under ideal conditions, with an average temperature of 20.5°C and annual rainfall of approximately 1,400 mm, on clay loam soils. Thiririka FCS provides agronomic training and inputs to its smallholder members, offering guidance on pruning schedules, fertilizer usage, and other best practices.

Harvest and Processing

Kenya has two harvest seasons: the main crop from October to December, and the fly crop from May to July. We source exclusively from the main crop. For the main crop, flowering occurs between February and March, and green coffee becomes available for purchase from January to April of the following year.

Farmers selectively handpick only ripe cherries and deliver them to the factory. Upon arrival, cherries are spread on sorting tables, where ripe cherries are hand-selected according to factory standards. Receiving staff supervise the process to ensure proper sorting.

Githembe coffee is processed using the fully washed method. Only carefully selected ripe cherries are fed into the pulper, where the skin is removed, producing parchment coffee.

At this stage, the parchment is covered with mucilage, a sticky layer composed of natural sugars and alcohols. This mucilage plays a significant role in developing sweetness, acidity, and overall flavor.

The mucilage-covered parchment is placed in fermentation tanks for 16 to 24 hours. No water is added during this stage; fermentation occurs naturally as microorganisms from the cherries and surrounding environment break down the mucilage. After fermentation, the parchment is transferred to a clean-water tank supplied from the Thiririka River and soaked for an additional 16 to 18 hours.

The parchment is then graded into P1, P2, P3, P-light, and pod. P1 lots undergo an additional soaking step prior to drying.

Due to security concerns over the past three years, parchment drying is currently carried out at Kiganjo Factory. Cherry theft has been a persistent issue in the area, leading the FCS to consolidate drying operations at a single, more secure location.

Once ready for drying, parchment with approximately 50% moisture content is first transferred to mesh-covered skin-drying beds, where it is dried to around 20% moisture over six hours to one day. It is then moved to raised African drying beds, where it is slowly dried for up to 21 days. The parchment is protected with plastic sheets during intense sunlight and at night, with drying typically lasting 7 to 14 days.

Thiririka FCS is named after the Thiririka River, the main water source in the region, and consistently produces high-quality coffee through careful and standardized processing.