Mugaya - Kenya

Gooseberry, Blood Orange, Browned Butter

Kenya’s Kirinyaga County is home to Mugaya Factory, a high-elevation washing station operated by Mutira Coffee Growers Cooperative Society Ltd. Established in 1975, Mugaya brings together 1,900 active farmers who grow coffee in red volcanic-loam soils between 1,550 and 1,900 masl.

This fully washed lot is made up of SL 28, SL 34, and Ruiru 11. Cherries are sorted before pulping, then fermented overnight, washed, density graded, and dried on raised tables for 8–14 days. The combination of altitude, fertile soil, and careful washing-station processing creates a clean, expressive Kenyan coffee with the structure and clarity the region is known for.

Details

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Producer: Mugaya Factory
Farm: Mutira Coffee Growers Cooperative Society Ltd
Region: Kirinyaga
Process: Fully Washed
Elevation: 1,550 - 1,900 masl
Variety: SL 28, SL 34, Ruiru 11

Source

Mugaya Factory was established in 1975 and operates through the Mutira cooperative system in Kirinyaga. The factory receives coffee from a large network of smallholder producers- more than 1,000 according to the source materials, with 1,900 active farmers currently listed- who deliver ripe cherries for centralized processing.

The cooperative model gives farmers access to a shared washing station and a structured pathway for producing specialty-grade washed Arabica. Situated at high elevations in Kirinyaga, Mugaya combines the work of many small farms with consistent processing at the factory level.

Story

In the highlands of Kirinyaga County, Mugaya Factory has been a gathering point for local coffee producers since 1975. Operated by Mutira Coffee Growers Cooperative Society, the washing station connects 1,900 active farmers to a shared system built around careful cherry selection and fully washed processing.

Coffee grows here from 1,550 to 1,900 masl in red volcanic-loam soils. Annual rainfall ranges from 1,100 to 1,500 mm, while the region’s average annual temperature sits around 20.5°C—conditions that support steady coffee maturation before harvest arrives between October and December.

Once ripe cherries reach Mugaya, they are sorted before pulping. The parchment ferments overnight, then is washed and separated into grades before being dried on tables for 8–14 days. This deliberate approach highlights the crisp structure and distinctive character of Kenya’s SL varieties while bringing consistency to coffees produced across many smallholder farms.

Farm Details

Mugaya Factory is located in Kirinyaga County, Kenya, and is operated by Mutira Coffee Growers Cooperative Society Ltd. The factory processes coffee grown between 1,550 and 1,900 masl in red volcanic-loam soils. Its contributing producers cultivate SL 28, SL 34, and Ruiru 11, with flowering typically occurring from February through March and harvest taking place from October through December.

At the washing station, cherry is sorted, pulped, fermented overnight, washed, and graded into P1, P2, P3, P lights, and pods. The parchment is then dried on drying tables for 8–14 days. Mugaya is listed with both Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade certifications