Kenya Karatu AB

Karatu Coffee Factory is located in Central Province of Kiambu. It was established in 1965 and rests on 11 acres of land, serving four villages. In addition to coffee growing, common crops grown are banana and maize. Grevillea or macadamia trees are also planted to provide shade to the growing coffee trees. After the coffee cherry is harvested, it is brought to the factory and then weighed. Smallholder farmers collect their earnings at that time. Coffee cherry is then sent through a disk de-pulper removing most of the fruit, and is fermented for 24-hours and then washed once more, bringing the entire process to 72-hours. The time in which parchment coffee dries depends heavily on the climate, ambient temperature, and volume being processed – which could take up to 15 days, and as little as one week.