Kenya Kimbo Estate AB

Kimbo is a small, eight-hectare estate located in Embu County, owned and managed by Lucy Wanjiru and her son Christopher Munene Njiraini (pictured above). The farm sits at 1,600 meters above sea level in the foothills of the extinct volcano, Mt Kenya, close to the town of Kerugoya. The area is defined by its bright red, nutrient-rich, volcanic soil and cool climate, both of which contribute to the outstanding quality of the coffees produced on this farm.

The estate was initially purchased by Lucy’s father-in-law, Mr. Kimbo, in the 1960s. Lucy’s late husband eventually inherited the land, and decided to expand it in size by purchasing other nearby farms. Lucy took over operations after his passing, sharing duties with her son Christopher who is also a medical doctor.

At the time of planting, Mr. Kimbo chose the SL-28 variety that is commonly found in central Kenya, specifically because it produces a high-quality flavour profile. With time, the estate was also planted with a small amount of Ruiru 11 and Batian, two hardier, hybrids that are very popular among farmers for their high yields and disease resistance, and potential for high quality in the cup. The varieties are harvested and processed together, as separation is challenging to achieve during the busy harvest period.

In 2011, Lucy and her husband built a small wet mill – or factory, as they are called in Kenya – on their land. This facility enabled the couple to process and dry their crop onsite, rather than selling fresh, whole cherry to the local Farmers’ Society Cooperative. By processing her coffee independently, Lucy is able to control every step of production directly – from farming, to harvesting, processing, drying and sale – ensuring the full potential of the crop is achieved in terms of quality and sale price. The resulting coffee lot reflects the incredible amount of hard work and attention to managing every single variable that influences quality.