Mutheru, Kenya

Mutheru Factory is located on the slopes of the Aberdare Ranges in Kandara Sub-county, Murang'a County. It operates under the Kariua Farmers' Cooperative Society (FCS), which manages three other factories alongside Mutheru: New Irera, Mutitu, and Githaiti. The FCS has 2,200 active members, around 550 of whom deliver their cherry to Mutheru Factory, each farming an average of 250 trees.

Murang'a County's volcanic soils and consistent rainfall make it one of Kenya's finest coffee-growing regions. Farmers deliver ripe cherries to the factory to be sorted, weighed, and processed, with payment based on cherry weight. This system incentivises careful, selective picking at the farm level.

The cooperative grows four varieties: SL28 and SL34, developed by Scott Agricultural Laboratories in the 1930s and prized for their deep roots and complex flavour, and Ruiru 11 and Batian, newer disease-resistant cultivars from Kenya's Coffee Research Institute. Together they balance resilience with quality.

Processing at Mutheru follows Kenya's exacting standards. Cherries are hand-harvested and sorted on arrival, pulped, fermented for 12 to 24 hours, and washed before being laid on raised drying beds for 7 to 21 days. The AB grade refers to bean size, slightly smaller screen than AA, but from the same farms and the same careful process.

Expect tasting notes of blackcurrant, tamarind, wild cherry

Recommended brew methods: Espresso, filter, cafetiere, Aeropress, stovetop

100% Mutheru AB, Kenya
Producer: Mutheru Coffee Factory
Region: Muranga County, Kenya
Altitude: 1750-1850 MASL
Processing: Washed
Varieties: SL28, SL34, Batian, Ruiru 11