This coffee takes its name from the Gakuyu-ini washing station – known as a Factory in Kenya – where it is processed, located on the slopes of Mount Kenya in Kirinyaga, around 1.5hr from Nairobi.

A global leader in coffee quality, Kenya mostly produces washed coffees noted for complex, vibrant and juicy flavour profiles. More than 700,000 coffee farmers (smallholders) represent about 55% of the productio); we source smallholder-grown coffees from Kenya through our partner Falcon Speciality. Farmers tend to have 1-2 hectares of land and also grow various cash crops alongside their coffee trees. They are usually members of Farmer Cooperative Societies (FCS) that act as umbrella organisations for Factories, where farmers deliver their coffee cherries for processing.

Gakuyu-ini Factory is run by the Thirikwa Cooperative which has around 1600 members with around half-and-half male and female growers . The growers are surrounded by many Factories but the Thirikwa Coop is known to be amongst the best paying societies - quality is rewarded with good prices. This attracts growers and the premiums paid encourage good harvesting practices and cherry selection.

The growers around Gakuyu-ini benefit from high altitudes and fertile volcanic soils. Varieties grown are mostly SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 & Batian. SL28 shoots are sometimes grafted onto Ruiru rootstock, combining the hardy and resistant Ruiru 11 with the fine cup of SL28.

Between October and January, farmers harvest and deliver cherry daily to the factory. Coffee is de-pulped and separated in channels by density, then fermented in tanks for around 24 hours until the mucilage breaks down and is washed off. As is typical for Kenya, the coffee is subsequently soaked in clean water before drying on raised beds over 11-14 days. After a period of rest in parchment, the coffee is delivered to a dry mill to be screened and graded by size, with three main categories being AA (largest), AB (slightly smaller) and PB (peaberry). 

The particular growing conditions, meticulous organisation and processing at Gakuyu-ini produces some truly exceptional cup profiles. This lot stood out for its complex acidity and pronounced notes of blackcurrants that Kenya is famed for. Expect a seriously juicy cup, a truly stunning coffee.

Gakuyu-Ini AA, Kenya

Curve is a speciality coffee roastery based in Margate, East Kent.

We're dedicated to responsibly sourcing the most interesting fresh crop green coffee we can get our hands on and roasting it to bring out the best of its intrinsic flavours. 

Our mission is to put producers in the spotlight and celebrate the dedication and hard work that happens at coffee origins. Each coffee has a unique story and we want to share them.

We believe world of speciality coffee is endlessly inspiring and fascinating but it should also be fun, accessible and sustainable. We strive to be at the forefront of the industry, constantly exploring, learning and improving our practices in quest of outstanding quality but also sustainability. 

We're determined to become an acknowledged source of coffee and education and nurture the growing speciality coffee community in the Kent area as well as to make positive contribution toward enhancement of the vibrant global speciality coffee community.

Gakuyu-Ini AA, Kenya

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Gakuyu-Ini AA, Kenya

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