Our first Kenyan coffee of the year — and it’s a standout. This vibrant lot comes from smallholder members of the Kiandu Farmers Cooperative Society, near the village of Tetu. In the cup, it’s all juicy blackcurrant and bright orange acidity — a combination we keep coming back to.
Established in 2011, the Kiandu Farmers Cooperative Society supports local coffee producers through a range of initiatives: providing access to financing for school fees and farm inputs, maintaining an emergency fund for members, and delivering training in sustainable farming practices.
The Society also takes steps to minimise its environmental impact. For example, wastewater from processing is channelled into pits located away from natural water sources, helping protect the community’s drinking water.
This lot is made up of SL-28 and SL-34, two of Kenya’s most known cultivars. Both trace their names to Scott Agricultural Laboratories, which promoted their wider adoption across Kenya in the early 20th century.
The coffee was harvested between October and December 2024 and landed in the UK in July 2025. Cherries are delivered to Kiandu on the same day they’re harvested, then hand-sorted to remove underripe and overripe fruit. The coffee is depulped and fermented in tanks for 18–24 hours before being washed to remove the sticky mucilage layer. It’s then dried on raised beds for 7–15 days, depending on weather conditions.
We purchased this coffee from Falcon, which they bought through Kenya’s coffee auction system. During harvest, weekly auctions are held at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. These operate under strict protocols to ensure transparency and fair competition among buyers. Before each auction, each coffee lot undergoes a grading process, so that the exporters (i.e., buyers) have comprehensive information about the characteristics of each coffee. Licensed marketing agents (on behalf of cooperatives or producers) distribute samples of each coffee to registered exporters, who evaluate the coffee before submitting a sealed bid. This process often drives prices up, benefiting producers while maintaining quality controls.
For further details on the prices below visit our Transparency Page.
If you're not sure which coffee is for you, or you want to try them all, then our discovery pack is just what you need.
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