Kenya Kii

To the south of Mt. Kenya, along the foothills that roll well below its majestic peak, lie the regions where some of our favorite coffees in all of Kenya are grown and processed. These lands are fertile with vibrant volcanic red-clay soils, enriched by a network of freshwater streams.

The Kii factory, a member of the Rungeto Farmers Cooperative Society, is nestled in Kirinyaga County, just west of Nyeri. Over eight hundred smallholder farmers bring their freshly handpicked cherry to Kii, where it’s pulped, fermented, and washed in clean water from the river. The factory’s sophistication is noteworthy: newly installed tiles in the washing channels help preserve the quality of both the coffee and the water, which is filtered through earthen pits before being reintroduced into local waterways.