FUGLEN COFFEE AA KAROGOTO / KENYA

Located in County Kenyannieri at an altitude of 1,708 meters, the Karogoto processing plant is the core facility of the Ngunguru Farmers Cooperative, where approximately 1,800 smallholder farmers deliver their coffee cherries. The name "Tekangu" comes from the initials of the three processing plants—Tegu, Karogoto, and Ngunguru. The fertile clay loam soil of the area is ideal for growing varieties such as SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11. The average annual temperature is approximately 20.5 degrees Celsius, with rainfall around 1,400 millimeters. Flowering occurs from February to April, with the main harvest season from October to January of the following year.

Current manager Efrim oversees all processes from cherry harvesting to final processing, ensuring consistent quality. He has actively introduced new drying equipment and international production information, resulting in a significant improvement in Carogoto's quality since he took office, and leading to long-term purchases by Nordic bakeries.

Kenya has two harvest seasons a year, mainly from October to December. We primarily purchase beans from this period. Farmers hand-pick fully ripe cherries, which are then rigorously selected and sent to a peeling machine for a fully washed process. The peeled coffee beans, along with the natural mucilage, are left to stand in an anhydrous fermentation tank for 16 to 24 hours, then soaked in spring water for 16 to 18 hours. Finally, they are graded by density and dried to ensure a pure and balanced flavor.